Relic
by Zebul
Summary: A surviving Claymore from ages past is thrown in to the limelight. Forcefully upturned, he attempts to reclaim what peace he had, but finds himself caught between the organization and a group of mysterious Awakened ones . Chapter Five has been redone.
1. The Priest

The laughter of children echoed amidst the courtyard of the old church. A wall of grey stones as tall as a full grown man traced the churches boundaries. The passage of time had left the wall in poor standing. Pieces of stone had cracked and tumbled to the ground, leaving the wall uneven. Coupled with the effects of time was the recent abuse caused by children, proving much more devastating than the slow wear of time. Erected in the center of the courtyard rested the two goddess of love, forever facing away from one another. The statue stood almost two stories tall. It's once fine finish worn away by weather and neglect. The church was the oldest standing building amidst the town. The church had once stood at the centre of town, but now rested on the outskirts. It appeared much like a shrine in the distance, made to remember a time long past. A fire had passed through town many years ago, destroying most of the town's buildings. Many were laid to rest in the churches cemetery in do to the fire. After the fire many opted to build their homes and places of business's closer to the towns well, leaving the church upon the outskirts of town. 

Children hung off and played about the statues of Teresa and Clare. Disregarding the protests of the nuns the children ran freely, laughing and taunting the clamouring nuns. 

"Now children, that is no way to treat the fair goddess's of love" A man draped in monks robes and hood said as he stepped through the arched gates of the courtyard. A warm smile rested naturally upon his face as he greeted the children. 

"Father Glenn!" the children shouted gleefully as they rushed to greet the returning priest. The children swiftly formed a small group surrounding the priest. Glenn had a youthful face despite the strands of silver hair hanging loosely over his barrow. Though the children tugged and pulled at Glenn's robes, he remained firmly balanced. In spite of being pushed and pulled on Glenn kept his eyes tightly shut. 

"What did you bring us this time?!" A young child asked as he reached out with his open hands. 

"I bet its candies!" The children's faces lit up even more with their speculations. Crouching to be level with the children, Glenn pulled his sleeves up to show the children his hands were in fact empty. However, this did not deter the children, in fact it seemed to drive them almost in to a frenzy. With a quick motion of his hands a pouch appeared in Glenn's right hand. 

"Now how did that ever get there?" Doing his best to look shocked, Glenn listened as the children hollered in approval. Gingerly opening the pouch; Glenn reviled it to be filled with all sorts of sweets. The children quickly lunged forward to clam the candy for

themselves. However, Glenn raised the pouch over his head with the same speed he used to make it appear; insuring the bag of treats was well out of reach of little greedy hands. 

"Now, now, children, what did I tell you about sharing and even proportions?" the children slowly took a step back as dejected looks appeared on their faces. 

"And wipe that look off your faces!" The children were always amazed by Glenn's perception, regardless of his blindness. "Now then, let us see who gets what." Glenn said as he lowered his hand with the pouch. Glenn began to break up the pouch of candy in to fair proportions for each child. It was never debated upon who got what. A blind man handing out treats was the luck of the draw. No one ever complained, a preferred sweet could always be traded or bartered for. That is until one child held his hand out towards Glenn's face. 

"You gave me less than everyone else" the child said meekly. 

"Did I? Surely not, surely you are just hiding a few candies in your other hand." the child blushed in embarrassment as he opened his other hand to show it was indeed true. 

"And what did I say about greed, young Lukas?" The child could not bring himself to answer the priest. 

"Two more for pretty little Connie, complements of young Lukas." It only took Lukas a moment to realize he was missing his two candies as Glenn handed them to the young girl. Reaching out to reclaim his treat, Lukas found his wrist grasped firmly by Glenn. 

"Now, now, Lukas, this is your lesson for attempting to fool a blind man. I could have taken all your sweets away." Hearing Glenn's words Lukas tightened his grip on his last remaining candies. "Next time, be fair and you will not have to repeat this stark punishment. Now go along and play with the others." Glenn said as he released the young child, who in turn quickly took off in a grumpy mood. 

"Oh and children, please treat the two goddess's with much more respect from now on. They do not deserve such treatment." Chuckling softly, Glenn took in a deep breath as he stood to his full height. Pocketing the empty pouch, Glenn slid his hands in between the sleeves of his robes. Dodging a few of the children, Glenn made his way towards the entrance of the church. Halting his slow stride, Glenn raised his head slightly towards a nun that had placed herself in front of him. 

"Ahh Sister Dalya, it is a fine evening, don't you agree?" Glenn greeted with the same warm smile. 

"Why do you continue to do that? I have told you to stop bringing the children treats!" The sister said trying to keep her voice low but firm. 

"Please sister, they are merely children. Candies and sweets are just a part of childhood. Surely we can't just rob them of that." He said before his expression darkened "haven't they been robbed of enough?" 

Dalya suddenly stepped back finding her self taken off guard by Glenn's sudden change of expression. Glenn always wore a warm smile for all; suddenly changing that was unnerving to those that knew him. Tripping over her words the sister was interrupted as an elderly priest in long dark robes stepped out from the church. 

"Brother Glenn, may I have a word with you." The elder priest said as he motioned for Glenn to follow. 

"Why of course, brother Rowley." His expression back to its warm natural state, Glenn followed the older priest in to the church, leaving Dalya in the courtyard shaken and confused. Once in Rowley's private chambers, Glenn faced towards a window over looking the courtyard. Sister Dalya seemed to be rather busy with the hyper children. Sitting at his desk, father Rowley stared at Glenn sternly. 

"I have let you stay here for many years, Glenn. I did so because you said you wish to change your life and that you were looking for redemption." Glenn nodded in reply as he turned to Rowley. 

"Yes, that is true. And I am very grateful for you taking me in and allowing me to stay here." 

"Than why do you continue to risk everything by doing stupid things like just now?" 

Confused, Glenn began to rack his brain for the answer to what father Rowley was upset about. "Is this about the candy?" 

Slamming his palms down on the table, father Rowley stood firmly as he stared Glenn down. "You know damn well what this is about! You are being careless. What if someone finds out?! I could be branded a heretic, stripped of my position or worse!" 

"That would be troublesome for the both of us, I suppose." Glenn said, keeping his expression light and cheerful 

"You supposed correctly!" Letting a sigh escape his lips, Father Rowley moved to be standing beside Glenn. Staring out the window, Rowley let his shoulders drop. 

"Do you want me to leave?" Glenn asked as he turned his head to face the elderly priest. 

"No, I just want you to be more careful. You have made a lot of progress since you came to this church, I believe." Rowley admitted as he let a soft smile cross his lips. 

"So . . . I can still bring the children candy?" Rowley simply stared at Glenn for a long moment before he began to laugh. 

"You have been a good friend these past long years." Rowley said as he placed his hands on each side of Glenn's face. 

As night came Glenn assisted sister Dalya in rounding up the children, a chore that proved difficult do to their early sugary treats. Glenn could not help but feel blessed that he could not see the dirty looks he received from sister Dalya that evening. Sister Dalya was not chosen to watch the children because of her gentle touch. She could almost stop a yoma in his tracks with her glares, as some of the children liked to joke. 

When the children were put to bed, Glenn went about the grounds putting out the lights. Stumbling in the dark was never a problem for Glenn and he often volunteered to do such tasks. Proceeding to his chambers, Glenn removed his hood to revile a head of trimmed silver hair. Glenn's chambers were nearly bare only a bed, chair, and desk donned his room. The bed seemed as though it had not been slept upon in some time. Neglecting the bed entirely, Glenn took the chair by the backrest and slid it in to the corner of the room. Sitting himself on the chair, Glenn leaned back pushing the chair tightly against the wall.  
Drifting to sleep, Glenn found himself reliving a past memory that was more than a life time ago. 

Glenn had entered in to a blurred and distorted world that seemed more like a dream with in a dream. The best he could make out was that he appeared to be walking upon a dirt road with two others. The two others were large figures that he could not help but feel aggravated towards. He could not make out any fine details of their figures, leaving their appearance and gender a mystery. 

"Who is this brat?" 

"Some rookie, I guess." 

"Why do we get stuck with him?" 

"He is supposed to be special or something, I think." 

"He is just one of the new ranks isn't he?" 

"Why don't we test him?" 

"Yeah, that's a good idea." 

A flash of metal obscured Glenn's vision before he was jarred from his rest. A familiar feeling washed over Glenn, causing any grogginess to leave him immediately. Jumping to his feet, Glenn swiftly threw his hood back over his head as he left his chambers. Coming to the hall of the church a great force caused the ground to quake from under his feet. Dust fell from rafters as candle stands wavered and fell under the sudden force. The sound of falling stones echoed in to the hall from outside, followed by screams. Glenn soon felt the warmth of a lit flame upon his face as a voice spoke up. 

"Glenn, what has happened, an earthquake?" Father Rowley asked in a concerned tone. Holding a lit candlestick, Rowley shined it across Glenn's face so as to see him clearly. 

"No, I fear it is much worse." Glenn said as he turned towards the churches doors. "We must leave, all of us, we maybe able to sneak past it." 

"Sneak past what? What in lord's name is going on? Glenn, please explain what is happening" Glenn said nothing in reply as he stood facing the door as if it may buckle at any moment. Grasping Glenn's shoulder with his free hand, Rowley forced Glenn to face him. "Tell me what is happening, I can not just tell everyone to leave in the dead of night." 

"Please, trust me Rowley; we have to leave, quickly." Rowley stood silent for a long moment before he nodded his head. 

"I trust you, Glenn. I will tell everyone to prepare to leave." Rowley quickly left the hall to proceed to the churches quarters. Most had already been woken from the initial tremor and were quickly gathered in the main all, many still in their bed clothing. Words of protest by the children and fellow priests were silenced as the screams of the villagers continued to permeate the hall. 

'What's happening, I'm scared." Young Connie said as she clung to the skirt of Dalya's nightgown. 

"Do not fear child, we are safe within these walls." Dalya said in an effort to sooth the child's fear. 

The stench of blood flowed strong from outside, causing Glenn to cover his mouth with his sleeve. The smell was so thick he could almost taste it on his tongue. He could only feel thankful the others could not smell it, yet. Any panic could ruin their chances of escape from this sudden terror that had besieged their village. 

"Everyone put out your lamps." Glenn said as the priests and nuns began to light lanterns to guide them in the darkened hall. 

"Do as he says" Rowley ordered, causing the priests to quickly douse their flames. 

"Father Rowley, what in the name of god is happening? Are bandits attacking the town?" Dalya asked as she approached the elderly priest. 

"I'm sorry sister; I have no answer for you. Let's just-" He replied before Glenn spoke up. 

"Were leaving" Glenn said in a loud enough voice for all to hear. Though the priests and nuns were not accustomed to following Glenn, he alone appeared to be the only one aware of what was happening. Fear of death began to pass between the adults like a sickness. The children, however, were left in a fog of confusion as the adults guiding them fought the panic welling up inside. Beads of sweat began to form on the priests brows. Children began to grow restless; some even broke in to tears. 

As Glenn reached the main doors of the church he proceeded to push one of the doors open. The old hinges groaned in protest, but gave way regardless. Taking a moment to listen, Glenn led the small procession in to the courtyard. Though the church stood on the out skirts of town, darkened silhouettes of crumbled buildings could be seen lining the streets. Small fires burned amongst the rubble from up turned oil lamps. The screams that filled the night air had nearly completely faded in to moaning sobs. The Nuns attempted to divert the children's gaze from the shadowy ruined buildings, an effort to keep the children calm. As Glenn reached the entrance of the courtyard he turned to the group, causing them to halt. 

"We will head in to the forest and make our way to the mountains from there. Remain as silent as possible." Glenn said before father Rowley stepped up beside him. 

"I will assist you brother." Rowley said, an effort to calm the fellow priests, more than a few had concerns about being led down a path by a blind man. 

"You are too kind." Glenn said as he forced a smile. 

Before Glenn could continue on a dark figure, nearly the size of the church it's self, appeared behind him. Everyone fell pale as they stared up at the looming creature. 

"Rowley, get everyone back to the church." Glenn said, though he knew the church would provide little if no protection from the beast that had just discovered them. 

"Everyone back to the church, bar the doors with whatever you can find!" directed Rowley as he led everyone back towards the church. 

Screams filled the night air once more as child and adult stumbled over each other to return to the confines of the stone walls of the church. Finely turning to the beast, Glenn held his arms out at his sides, a modest and useless attempt to hamper the beast. 

"Leave here now; you have already had your fill, surely." Glenn said as he attempted to reason with the massive shaded figure. 

"Foolish man." The figure said as the moon came out from behind a darkened cloud. Moonlight pouring over its features, the creature could be seen to be an awakened being. It had a reptilian appearance to it with long clawed hands and elongated maw to match. Fresh blood still staining its claws and snout the beast crouched to meet Glenn. Grasping the arch way, the awakened being leaned its head under the arch. 

"Your selfless devotion to your flock is touching; I'll save you for last, a reward for your courage." Smirking, the beast reviled a row of blood stained razor pointed teeth. With one swift fluid motion the awakened being grasped Glenn in it's vice like grip. Blood sprayed forth from Glenn's mouth as bones broke under the force. Claws carelessly racked over Glenn's body before the beast threw him aside. Striking the statues of Clare and Teresa, Glenn fell to the ground, his body broken and bleeding. Propping himself up, Glenn watched as the Awakened being effortlessly tore down the arch way before moving forward. Reaching out a hand towards the awakened being, Glenn soon fell limp as he fell unconscious. As Glenn's consciousness faded he could only hear the sounds of shattering wood followed by screams. 

As Glenn came to he attempted to pull himself to his feet, but only fell forward as his legs failed him. Falling to his hands and knees, Glenn forced his legs to obey him as he climbed to his feet. His body was battered and he could tell something was broken as pain shot down his back. Breathing was difficult, his ribs had been broken, cracked, and bruised. Placing a hand to his chest, Glenn cringed in pain at the slightest touch. Spitting a mouth full of blood to the ground, Glenn gritted his teeth as he grasped the statues base. Using the statue as a brace, Glenn stumbled around the statue until he could face the church. As Glenn came to face the church he fell back to his knees as the strong smell of blood met him. Glenn prayed and bagged to whatever god that may be listening that it was merely his own blood he smelt. But, even Glenn knew such hopes were foolish, He did not have to see what was in front of him to know what had transpired. Blood covered the interior of the church, pews lay shattered and upturned. Blood flowed forth from the church's shattered front gates in a grisly crimson stream. 

To the far east of the courtyard, the awakened one stood on all fours as it feasted on the remains of a priest that had attempted escape. Releasing the priest from its jaws, the awakened one stood to its full height as it sniffed the air. The awakened one exhaled

violently as it slowly turned towards Glenn, grinning mischievously before approaching him. 

"So you're still alive. I thought I may have killed you with that blow." The Awakened one said as she bent forward to come level with Glenn. "I will have to kill you quickly. I was hoping to play with you a little. However, I sense yoki near by. Some bothersome pests must have caught up with me." Coming back to her full height, the awakened one raised its hand to strike Glenn down. Before the awakened one could strike, Glenn vanished instantly. The sound of stone crumbling caught the awakened ones attention, causing her to look to the head of the statues. His hand firmly embedded in the face of the Clare statue, Glenn stared in to the awakened one's eyes with a pair of gleaming golden eyes. Retracting his arm, the statue of Clare broke apart with explosive force as Glenn struck out at the awakened one. Slashed across the face the awakened one hollered out before swing a hand violently at Glenn. As the awakened ones hand came down, Teresa was the next to fall as it gave under the immense might of the awakened ones blow. A cloud of dust filled the courtyard causing the awakened one to thrash about wildly in its frantic search for her attacker. Calming it's self, the awakened one held its claws at the ready as it sniffed the air, but only filled its nostrils with pulverized marble. Gritting its teeth, the awakened one hissed loudly as it searched among the dust cloud for any standing figure. 

As the dust began to drift down to earth, the awakened one caught sight of Glenn standing in front of the church. Preparing to rush its prey, the awakened one froze as it noticed the object in Glenn's right hand. Held out at his side Glenn gripped a claymore with a symbol resembling a crosslet cross upon its blade. The sounds of cracking bone could be heard coming from Glenn as his bones set themselves. 

"Wh. . . What are you doing with a claymore!?" The awakened shouted as it pointed a long clawed finger towards Glenn. 

"I thought it would be obvious by now." Glenn said in a monotone as tears stained his cheeks. 

Hissing loudly the awakened one lowered it's stance as it prepared to strike. As a trickle of blood ran down in to the awakened ones right eye Glenn vanished as he thrust himself forward. In the time it took the awakened to blink its right arm fell loose as Glenn's claymore sliced through it. Foul blood sprayed upon the stoned courtyard, mixing with the already spilled blood of the awakened ones victims. 

H... how did you!?" she shouted as she attempted to locate Glenn once more. Behind the awakened one, Glenn skidded to a stop upon the cobble stone of the courtyard. Turning to face the awakened one, Glenn dug his feet down as his thighs and cuffs began to deform as he focused yoki in to them. As Glenn Lunged forward a loud whistle tore through the courtyard.

When the whistle pierced the awakened ones ears it found its self drifting away from its legs. A scar lined the courtyard as Glenn came to a stop, his blade firmly embedded in the earth. Using his blade to stop his quick motion, Glenn flinched as his arms screamed at him in pain. The sudden stop invoked by his arms had torn their fair share of muscles in his arms. Holding on to his claymores hilt with both hands, Glenn glanced ahead at the Awakened one as it came crashing to the ground. 

"How are you doing this? This is not possible! It's impossible!" Looking about her in a panic, the awakened one spotted her severed arm. Reaching for the arm she soon found her last arm pinned down by a claymore. Slashing forward Glenn relieved her of her last limb. His legs still coursing with yoki, Glenn stomped his foot down upon the awakened ones chest, causing her ribs to crack as he pinned her down. 

"You must be an offensive type, since you have not regrown your limbs, yet." Glenn said as he held his claymore lax in his hand. 

"Damn you! Who are you!? I'll kill you!" She shouted as she struggled fruitlessly 

Extending her tongue, the Awakened one lashed out with it only to have it split in two as Glenn held his claymore in its path. Screaming in frustration, the awakened one gargled as she thrust her head back, shattering the stone beneath her head. The awakened one gasped for air as Glenn stomped down on her chest. 

"You have taken everything from me, for what?" He said in a low lifeless tone. "For guts . . . I'll give you guts." Though his arm protested in jolts of pain, Glen brought his claymore up over his head to shine in the moonlight. "I'll give you more than you could ever want!" Glenn said as he brought his claymore down to fill the ruined town in the death scream of the beast.


	2. Pursuit

Nina gazed down upon the freshly devastated village from a mountain road, her grim eyes held no sorrow, only hatred and anger reflected in her sliver eyes. Small columns of smoke rose up from the heart of the village. However, the largest column of all rose on the outskirts of the town. The smoke hung in the sky. Only a gentle breeze filled the valley causing the smoke to loom in the sky as an ominous cloud. Turning to her two comrades Nina Began to move down the path once more, her comrades following close behind. As Nina moved by a clump of dirt fell loose from the ledge. Tumbling a short distance down the cliff side it soon struck a hooded head. Standing upon a small ledge, barely large enough for his feet, Glenn glanced up causing the dust upon his hood to slip off. Feeling the yoki of the three claymores grow farther away he cautiously climbed back to the road. As Glenn pulled himself on to the road he struck the end of his claymore on the dirt road. His claymore was wrapped in a makeshift holster of robes he had taken from the church. All held taut about the blade by a series of belts. The image of it appearing much like a corpse dressed in a burial shroud. 

The right hand sleeve of Glenn's robe lay stained with the blood of his earlier opponent, which gave off a foul, rotten, stench. Thankfully, the claymores did not notice or simply put it off as a remnant left by the awakened. Grasping a leather strap attached to the cloth carrier, Glenn slung his claymore over his shoulder. Peering in the direction the claymores left in, he sighed to himself silently before moving in the apposing direction. 

As the claymores entered the ruined village they were met with the fearful gazes of survivors. The survivors went about what was left of their town, gathering what they could from the rubble. Nina paid little heed to them, they had not hired them to do a job and they were merely collateral damage in the hunt. Bodies had been lined up in the only level, clear, area in town. Passing the makeshift morgue, Nina kept her mind on the scent of the Yoma. It was unusually strong and thick among the village. However, there was no yoki to be felt at all in the surrounding area. Nina figured the awakened had already left or had masked her yoki from being detected. One of Nina's comrades appeared dismayed by the sight of the bodies, but was quickly reminded of her priorities by a quick glare. 

Following the scent, the three found themselves on the outskirts of the village. The large column of smoke they had seen earlier was clearly the church. The flames had long died down and now only blackened, smouldering, tenders, remained. Upon entering the courtyard, the three claymores stood in shock and disbelief. Upon the base that once held the statues of Clare and Teresa the dismembered awakened lay. A rough incision had been made across the awakened's stomach, effectively gutting the inhuman creature. The awakened's head lay a short distance from its body, its mouth filled with its own intestines. 

"Wh. . .What the hell is this?" One of Nina's comrade said as a cold sweat over took her. 

"Are there others around these parts?" Nina's second comrade asked, referring to another claymore. 

"No, we are the only ones positioned here." Nina replied as she stepped closer to examine the remains. 

"Maybe it was a feud between two awakened beings?" Speculated one of the claymores as she moved about the courtyard. 

"If that was the case there would be no survivors." Nina retorted before grasping a piece of stone from the ground. Turning the stone over, Nina could see it was once a piece of the Clare statues face. The stone eye gazed lifelessly up at Nina. All that remained of the statue was a collection of small fragments that could easily fit in hand, a sad end to such a magnificent statue. 

As one of Nina's comrades entered the courtyard she stumbled over the gash left in the stone courtyard. Crouching to inspect the gash, the claymore stared down the length of it. The cut was deep, almost three feet at lest. The Awakened being did not seem able to make such a cut from what could be told from its scattered remains. 

"This is strange, I wonder what caused it." The claymore wondered aloud. 

Tossing the chuck of statue aside, Nina proceeded to draw her claymore and insert it into the cut. The width of the blade fit perfectly in to the wound placed upon the earth. Taken off guard by the sudden motion, the claymore quickly rose to her feet and instinctively took a defensive stance. 

"Wh . . . what are you doing?!" Nina's comrade shouted in anger. 

"This cut was made by a claymore, as were the cuts that brought down that awakened being." Nina stated before pulling her sword from the ground. A few junks of earth stuck to her blade until Nina swung it, throwing the pieces of earth from the blade. Cleaning the blade, Nina swiftly placed it back in its sheath. 

"But, I thought you said there weren't any others in this area." The claymore that hung back by the entrance said. 

"There aren't any others, besides us." Turning towards the courtyards gates, Nina began back towards the village. "Were going back to the town, we are going to ask what happened here." 

The three claymores soon found that receiving information from the villagers was harder than first thought. Most were too scared of the claymores and simply avoided them like yoma's. Some even treated the claymores with hostility. Anger from losing family members drove them mad with rage. However, none were foolish enough to try and strike out at the claymores. It took the three almost an hour to find a family willing to speak with them. 

"The Yoma attacked in the middle of the night with out warning. I and my family were lucky enough to get to the cellar." The middle aged man said as he stood before the three blonde women. Nina could careless about the man's family; it was pointless information that gave them no leads. 

"Do you know what happened to the yoma?" Nina asked abruptly, stopping the man from ranting on. 

"Ehh . . . no, I only heard from a few people that were brave enough to venture to the church. Is it true that the yoma was torn limb from limb?" The man asked as a soft smile appeared on his face. Nina only glanced away for a moment before nodding. "Serves that bloody monster right, I only wish I could have seen it for myself." 

Nina stared at the man as she held back a scoff. The man was a coward and would have run from the sight of the battle right after pissing himself. Noticing the intense look in Nina's eyes, the man coughed to clear his throat and also to give him a moment to think. 

"I'm sorry, but I can't think of anything else. Oh wait, the fire at the church started after sunrise, after the yoma attack ended. I don't know about you, but most found that odd. That's why some even bothered to go to the church, that and the odd priest that came through town." The man said as he pondered over the past events. 

"Odd priest?" Nina asked as she raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, he came through town and helped a few people from the rubble. He helped me and my family. The man said as he gestured towards his wife and daughter. "My family and I were trapped in the cellar do to some debris covering the entrance. That priest moved a beam of wood like it was a twig, they must have a strict life style in the church." 

All three claymores stared at each other for a moment before they turned their attention back to the man. 

"What else can you tell us about this . . . priest?" Nina inquired. 

"Umm nothing else really . . . Oh! He was covered in an afoul smelling substance. I thought I was going to gag when I thanked him." 

"Where is this priest now?" Nina asked as she glanced about the rubble. 

"He left the village a short time ago. You did not see him when you arrived? There is only one trail out of this valley." The man was confused that the claymores could not have encountered the priest on there way into town. 

Hearing the man's last sentence, the three began on their way out of the village. However, before the claymores could leave the village the man chased after them. 

"Hey, you said I would be rewarded if I gave you information." The man stated humbly as he kept his head low. Staring at the man with disgust, Nina threw a few gold bars to him before continuing. 

"Thank you! Thank you! The priest was also carrying a large object on his back. He should be easy to spot!" The man shouted as he crawled on his hands and knees to claim the few gold bars that had been dropped. Though the sight was pathetic none could blame his desperation. 

The three claymores made haste back towards the trail they had come. Ignoring the winding trail the three claymores proceeded up the mountain with great leaps. The cliff side was treacherous leaving only small foot holds for the claymores as they advanced upwards. Reaching the top the claymores unleashed their yoki as they rushed forward. 

On the other side of the mountain range Glenn strolled at an even pace through an oak forest. Glenn recalled traversing the forest years ago, but it seemed different now. He could remember the sun warming his skin as he passed through the forest so many years ago. The branches, however, had grown to create a ceiling over head, which blocked out most of the sun light. Coming to a stop, Glenn turned to face the direction he had come from. He could sense the release of yoki as the claymores raced to find him. 

"Great." He said as he pondered his options. There was no way he could use his yoki to escape. It would only create a spot light for them to follow. He could not just meet them and try and explain himself, they would know right away there was something not right with him. Dropping the cloth wrapped claymore to the ground, Glenn proceeded to rip his right sleeve off. Tying a rock that he had gathered from the ground around his sleeve, Glenn spun it a few times before throwing it in to the branches of a tree. Reclaiming his baggage, he walked for a few yards before climbing in to a tree. The tree had thick foliage and hid Glenn rather well among the branches. Positioning himself comfortably against the trunk of the tree, he sat and waited for the claymores to arrive. 

It did not take long for the claymores to catch up, in only a few minutes the three stood amidst the oak forest. Standing still for a moment, one of the claymores suddenly vanished before a branch of a tree fell to the ground, its shaft cut smooth by the claymores blade. As the three surrounded the branch, Nina removed the robe sleeve wrapped about the branch. Growling in frustration, Nina tossed the sleeve to the side of the road before proceeding forward. 

As the claymores rushed down the dirt road, Glenn watched from his vantage point as they disappeared among the trees. Sighing happily, Glenn rested his head against the trunk as he closed his eyes. The sudden feeling of rushing air and the vibration of the trunk caused Glenn's eyes to snap open. Standing on the same branch as him, Nina stood with her claymore firmly imbedded in the trunk of the mighty oak. The blade had just barely avoided Glenn's head, its cold steel resting against his hooded head. 

Glenn stared up at the female claymore before noticing the two others standing on other branches. One stood on a branch a few feet above Glenn's head while the other stood on one more or less level with him and Nina. They had not killed him yet, so they must not know what he was, but their aggression was a clear sign they had suspicions. Grasping the tip of his hood, Glenn pulled it down to cover his eyes from view. 

"What's a priest doing in the trees?" Nina asked, her blade still firmly held.

"I was resting, and speaking with a little birdie." Glenn said as he forced himself to smile warmly.

Nina clearly did not approve of Glenn's sense of humour. Glenn's heart was pounding in his chest as he put on his best act. He had to have fooled them some what, his Yoki must be suppressed enough to fool them, he was still alive. 

"How come your robes are covered in the blood of a yoma?" Nina asked as she gestured to his robes. Glenn's robes were indeed spattered with yoma blood, but he had hoped his sleeve would have been enough to throw them off. Walking about naked seemed immoral and he would have had a hard time explaining when he came to a town. 

Glenn remained silent as he examined his robes carefully. "You know, I think you maybe right, young lady. I was wondering what that foul smell was." 

Nina felt her blood boil as the priest spoke like a fool. It took all her will power to contain her rage and keep herself from lashing out.

"Why are you covered in blood, what happened back at the village, Priest?!" Nina shouted as she gripped her claymores hilt tightly, causing the hilt to creak. 

Glenn took a moment to himself as he pondered the question, or rather make up a good story. 

"Two feuding Yoma's?" Glenn answered, sounding more like a question rather then an answer. This so called answer caused the claymore who had suggested that very scenario to smile proudly. 

"Don't bullshit me! Anyone knows there would not be one human life spared in that town if that was indeed the case!" Nina hollered in response, the smile upon her fellow claymore fading upon hearing her leaders reply. 

"Really? Maybe the other yoma was injured and had to retreat. Or maybe it was full already?" Glenn suggested, now sounding more like he was trying to explain how that scenario could be possible rather than what had happened. 

"Listen you old fool! You are going to tell us what happened at that church." Nina demanded as she unwittingly pushed the claymore in to the trunk even farther. 

Glancing at Nina's claymore, Glenn's smile became a soft smirk. "Oh I know, maybe another claymore?" Before Nina could refuse that explanation, Glenn swept her legs out from under her. Taken off guard by the sudden swift kick, Nina struck the branch she stood upon before tumbling off it. Watching their commander fall, Nina's comrades quickly struck out at Glenn. Positioning himself flat upon the branch after his attack, Glenn watched as the two blades came down upon him. However, each blade struck upon Nina's claymore, which was still firmly imbedded in the trunk of the tree. As the two claymores collected themselves for another attack, Glenn swiftly rolled off the branch. Falling on to a smaller branch just below him, Glenn swung the contents of his cloth carrier at the closest claymore. Struck in the legs, the claymore quickly lost her balance and tumbled from the branch. Catching herself, she struggled to pull herself back up. Her claymore weighing her down, she soon found her grip slipping. 

As the cloth covered claymore rebounded back, Glenn caught it with both hands, wach hand resting on either end of the blade. The glint of metal drew Glenn's attention to the last claymore standing. She had already begun her second swing when Glenn recovered his weapon. Shifting the claymore towards his attacker, Glenn was barely able to block the in coming attack. As the claymore struck with excessive force, Glenn was thrown from the tree with frightening speed. Striking a branch of another tree across the path, Glenn's back arched as his spine forcefully met the contours of the branch. Glenn's arm wrapped around the branch as his claymore slung his arm around it. Tucking the branch under his arm, Glenn quickly took hold of the branch with his free hand and pulled himself up. 

Dropping to the forest floor, the two claymores moved to assist Nina, one giving Nina her claymore back as she stood. Glenn had barely balanced himself before the three claymores prepared to continue their assault. Glenn broke in to a sweat as he was met with the grim reality of his situation. There was no way he was going to be able to suppress his yoki if he planned on escaping. However, it all seemed pointless now. The claymores knew he was not quite human, which allowed them to attack with out fear. Glenn leapt on to a higher branch as Nina lunged towards him, her blade held out to impale him. Glenn moved to climb the tree to escape the furies sword swings of the infuriated Nina, but was stopped as a claymore appeared above him. Glenn could only counter by swinging his claymore by the leather strap. The force of the impact threw Glenn's claymore back, the pull of it almost throwing him off the branch. Thrown off balance by his claymore, Glenn was unable to avoid Nina's attack. Slicing through the branch Glenn stood on; Nina's blade passed through the branch and cut the section of robe between Glenn's legs. 

"Good lord!" Glenn shouted as he clumsily pushed him self off the part of branch still connected to the tree. Falling away from the two claymores, Glenn struck two branches before catching himself on the third. Hanging from the branch by one hand, Glenn's claymore dangled below him from his other hand. The claymores attacks had shredded the cloth and glints of steel shined through. Glenn rolled the idea of removing the cloth and wielding his claymore properly, but then the claymores would be aware of him. The claymores only thought of him as an awakened being or a Yoma at the moment. Removing the claymore would bring about questions that would reach the organization. Deciding against removing his claymore from its confines, Glenn was just able to spot the third claymore lung towards him. Releasing the branch from his grasp, Glenn forced his center of gravity to his upper body. Performing a backwards summersault, the claymores blade passed no more than an inch over Glenn before she flew past. Landing on one of the lowest branches of the tree, Glenn peered upwards at the top of the trees. Each claymore stood on a branch above Glenn. Encircling Glenn, the claymores watched Glenn for him to make a move. 

"What is with this thing? Why hasn't he transformed yet? And why does he cling to that?" Nina thought as she inspected Glenn in the rays of sunlight pouring through the forest canopy. Nina could see glints of metal shining through the cut cloth, but could not discern what it was. 

Glenn took a moment to catch his breath before bringing his mind to a clear state. He had to think of a way out of this situation. He could not take on all three of them, he was lucky to last as long as he has so far. Closing his eyes, Glenn searched his memories for anything he may have discovered during his time in the forest many years ago. The sound of running water filled Glenn's mind as a long past memory came back to him. Opening his eyes, Glenn swung his claymore over his shoulder; a soft smirk caressing his lips once more as he did. Releasing his yoki, Glenn launched himself up at the claymores. Skipping from branch to branch he was quickly at the height of the claymores. As Glenn came in to range each claymore swung their massive swords with refined skill. Avoiding the swings as best he could, Glenn was still caught by a few strokes, inflicting wounds on his right arm and back. As Glenn passed the three claymores, Nina unleashed her shadow chaser technique. Her blade following on the trail of Glenn's yoki, Nina sliced through branches like twigs as she rose up the trunk of the tree. Reaching the peek of the tree top, Glenn invoked the same technique he used to defeat the awakened being. His legs deforming from the surge of yoki, Glenn launched him self in to the air. The branch Glenn had stood upon snapped and splintered under the force of Glenn's leap. 

Knocking the falling branch aside with her forearm, Nina came to a halt on the highest branch of the tree. Grasping the trunk of the tree with her free hand, Nina stared out in to the sky, the yoki had vanished and so had Glenn. Cursing, Nina tightened her grip on the trunk, causing the section to crack and splinter.

Almost two kilometers away, Glenn was beginning his fall as he reached the end of his momentum. Spotting a river below him, Glenn's heart sank as he realized it was just out of range. Bracing himself, Glenn bounced off half a dozen branches before he finely got hung up on one. Hanging limp, his bones broken and bruised, Glenn managed to free himself from the tree. Striking the ground, pain shot through Glenn as he tasted blood in his mouth. 

"Ahh ahh haha some day." Glenn managed to say through the pain. 

Hearing the sounds of flowing water a short distance away, he began to drag himself towards it. Pulling himself in to the cool water, Glenn simply let the river carry him down stream. Glenn had intended to land in the river, avoiding the painful landing he had endured, but plans hardly ever go as they are meant to. 

The three claymores spent the remainder of the day searching the forest for their lost prey. The scent lost and no form of yoki with in sensing range forced the claymores to abandon the search. They had not been ordered to hunt the strange yoma, they were only meant to hunt the awakened being that was already dead. Frustrated, Nina and her comrades left the forest. 

As a crescent moon hung high in the night sky, Nina and her comrades stood before a man wrapped in a seamless black robe and hood. His body was completely obscured under the robes, save his jaw line. 

"So the awakened being was already dead when you arrived in the village?" Kunst said as he addressed Nina, after hearing her explanation of what had transpired. "And what of this . . . priest? You let him get away?" 

Nina remained silent as she stood before Kunst; she had already explained the escape of the strange man they had encountered. Nina's comrades remained silent as they listened to the conversation between their superiors. 

"How unfortunate for you, two coinciding failures, you have needed someone else to do your work for you on two different occasions." Kunst said as he examined the three claymores. Nina's fists tightened in to two fists as she listened to Kunst's mocking words. "Well I suppose some god must be watching over you, we will have to investigate this so called holy man."

As the rising sun caressed the hillsides, two young siblings playfully made their way to a gentle flowing river. The young girl of the pair placed a pitcher within the river as the young boy tossed stones in to the shallow water. As water flowed in to the pitcher the girl stared in confusion as a thick crimson substance mixed with the clear liquid. Following the crimson trail up the river a short distance, the young girl climbed a large boulder before letting an ear pinching scream escape her. Rushing to his sister's aid, the young boy only stared in shock at the bloody body washed against the shore.


	3. The good life

The sound of his own panted breaths reverberated though his ears as his eyes attempted to focus. The sounds of sword clashes echoed about the area as he climbed to his feet. Sparks flew like fireflies in his peripheral vision. Before he could steady himself the divine image of a femme fatal came down upon him. Her blonde hair fluttering in the wind, the claymore brought her massive sword down on him. His body flung head over hills as the attack recoiled through his body. Coming to rest on his back, his breathing came in gasps as crimson red ran in to his vision. His head rolling to the side as his body weakened. The sight that beheld him as he turned his head forced his eyes to widen. Bloodied and kneeling before a female claymore, a male claymore hung his head humbled before her. Reaching his hand out to the kneeling man, he was unable to protect himself as a blade came down upon him. A spray of blood shot in to the dusk air before his vision blurred and darkened. 

Waking with a start, Glenn sprang up, his body covered in bandages. His hand reaching out, Glenn lowered it to his side. Examining his body, Glenn stared at the blood stained linen wrappings covering his wounds. He had been resting on a comfortable bed, the sheets stained red from his wounds. Glenn could barely muster the strength to raise his hand to his head. It too was bandaged, but still stung from the fresh wound underneath. Suddenly movement caught Glenn's eye. Turning his head, Glenn came face to face with a young girl standing a few paces from the bed. The girl held a fresh folded sheet in her hands. The young girl held the sheet tightly and closely, as if to use it as a shield from the strange man. He could only blink before the girl rushed out of the room. Raising a hand to stop her, Glenn simply let it fall as he hung his head. Looking down at his naked upper body, Glenn swiftly placed a hand across his chest. A long scar lined his chest, the length and width of it appearing to match that of a claymore. 

More movement drew Glenn's attention to the door that rested ajar. Short of breath, a middle aged man with a thick beard stood in the doorway. His common clothing was stained with dirt, indicating he had been working in a field. 

"My word, I feared you were as good as dead." The man said as he entered the room. The young girl stepped in behind the man, making sure to remain behind him. "We had resigned to simply make you as comfortable as possible for your last days." 

"I . . . thank you." Glenn said as he bowed his head to the man. "My name is Glenn, and I am very grateful for your assistance." 

"Oh yes, of course, my name is Jolyon. And this is my daughter Nell." The man said as he gestured to himself and than his daughter. "Nell found you by the river a few days ago, nearly scared her to death." Jolyon said with a chuckle as he placed a hand on the aggravated child's head. Clearly embarrassed by her fathers words, Nell shot her father a glare that he ignored or missed. Before Glenn could reply a young boy entered the room in a hurry, followed close behind by an attractive woman. 

"Is he awake?" the boy shouted. Stopping only a few inches from the bed, the boy looked Glenn directly in the eye. "Whoa, what's with your eyes?" 

Glenn blinked a few times before he realized himself and diverted his gaze. "Jeremy! Calm down boy, don't spook the poor soul like that!" 

Despite his fathers protest, Jeremy kept trying to look in to Glenn's eyes, even leaning over the bed to do so. Taking hold of his disobedient son's collar, Jolyon pulled Jeremy to a more comfortable distance. Glaring at his son, Jolyon released the disappointed boy's collar. Pouting to himself, Jeremy crossed his arms as he stood beside his father. 

"Though the boy is right, you do have rather curious eyes, Glenn, was it?" Jolyon stated as he caressed his beard. 

Forcing himself to smile, Glenn held a finger up to buy himself a moment. There was no way he could simply tell them the truth, they would form a lynch mob. 

"Ahh yes, you see, about that I umm." Glenn began before he was interrupt. 

"Jolyon, that's enough of that, He just woke up and you are all pummelling him with questions." The woman said as she crossed her arms and frowned at her husband and son. 

"Aye, I suppose you are right, Laura. It is too soon to be asking him so many questions." Jolyon said as he turned to his wife. "My wife was just fixing something to eat. Now that you're awake I'm sure you would like to have something to eat." 

A tray of food sat upon a bedside table as the orange light of dusk shined through the only window amidst the room. Only a few bites had been taken from a loaf of bread and only a few spoon fulls of stew had been drawn. Glenn sat in his bed staring out the window. He had escaped the claymores it would have seemed, but he had no place to go. Everything that he had once known was gone. He had set aflame the desecrated church he once called home. The stains and stench of blood would never have been lifted from those grounds. Flinching in pain, Glenn grasped his left arm. It had been broken in the fall and they had set it in place as best they could. That was not all however. Glenn could tell he had half a dozen broken ribs and a broken leg. Though he did not want to give himself away, Glenn decided living with a limp was not something he looked forward too. Releasing his yoki, Glenn began to set his broken bones. The sound of the door to his room beginning to open forced Glenn to stop abruptly. His yoki rose and fell chaotically as he attempted to lower it. The surprise of being disturbed awoke instinct that wanted him to prepare for battle. As Laura entered the room Glenn turned away as he pretended to cough. Coming to Glenn's bedside, Laura glanced at the barely touched meal. 

"Did you not enjoy the stew?" Laura inquired as she turned to Glenn. 

"Oh no, it was delicious! I just don't eat that much. And also, I don't feel much like eating." Taking hold of the covers, Glenn proceeded to wrap them about his waist. "Ehh if you don't mind me asking, what happened to my clothes?" 

A blush crept across both their faces as they turned away from each other. "They were cut up and covered in blood, we threw them away." Noticing Glenn's dismay, Laura laughed softly. "Don't be such a babe; I'm sure Jolyon would be more than willing to let you borrow some clothes." 

Glenn nodded as he let a smile cross his face. After everything he had been through the past few days it was nice to have the company of such kind hearted people. As Laura remained silent, Glenn could tell there was concern in her expression. His smile fading, Glenn watched Laura as if waiting for something horrible to happen. Noticing Glenn's look, Laura suddenly remembered her self. 

"I. . . I'm sorry, I did not mean t-" Laura started before Glenn cut her off. 

"What is it? Is something wrong?" Concern filled Glenn's voice as he held his eyes firmly on Laura. 

"It's just . . . how did you come to be in such a state? Are there bandits near by? You're a holy man. I can't understand anyone attacking you unless they were bandits." Laura inquired, her concerns clearly for the well being of her family and the community. 

"Yes, it was a small group of bandits. I was traveling with a convoy that they attacked. I was just barely able to escape by jumping in to the river." Glenn did not want to compound her worries, but he could not think of anything else to tell her. He certainly could not explain the truth to her. He needed time to recover. And if that meant lying to get it then that would have to do. "But, don't worry, it was quite some ways away I'm sure. I'm sure the river carried me a good distance." 

Laura let a relieved sigh pass her lips as she listened to Glenn's words. She had no reason to doubt the priest. "Thank you, you should get some rest now. You are still weak and you need as much rest as you can get." Retrieving the tray of food from the table, Laura grinned coyly. "And you also need to eat to keep your strength up." 

Glenn returned her playful grin as he chuckled softly. "I swear next meal I will eat more." Glenn replied as he held a hand over his heart, a pledge that he was good to his word. Glenn felt ashamed as he made his promise to Laura. What good could his word be? He had done nothing but lie for the past few years of his life. So well in fact it caused the lives of those near to him. He had attempted to bring himself a new life by lying. And in some sense it had worked. 

The next morning Glenn was awoken to the sound of commotion outside his room. As Glenn sat up, an elderly man escorted by Jolyon entered the room. The elderly man seemed almost decrepit and was surely nearsighted. Stepping to Glenn, The elderly man took hold of Glenn's head as he drew him closer. His wearing eyes straining to focus, the elderly man moved the wrappings on Glenn's head aside. 

"You seem to be healing rather well. The wonders of youth I suppose." The old man said as he snickered to himself. 

Glenn had to keep himself from laughing in response. He was much older than this man that stood in front of him. The old mans touch was anything but gingerly. Noticing Glenn's discomfort, Jolyon shook his head as he forced himself to laugh. 

"This is a healer from the village. He is the one who wrapped your wounds when we found you." Jolyon said as he stood at a fair distance from the bed, as to give the healer room to work. 

Taking a hold of Glenn's left arm, the healer took on an expression of surprise and confusion. Running his hands over Glenn's left arm, the healer began to squeeze his arm, as if looking for something. 

"You had a broken arm, I'm sure of it." The healer declared as he placed a hand on Glenn's ribs. Glenn only protested when the Healer attempted to pull back the sheets around his waist.

"Hey now! We just met to my better knowledge." Glenn asserted as he took hold of the healers wrist. "Jolyon, if you don't mind I would like to get up and around today." The healer took a step back as he held his wrist where Glenn had grasped him. The healer mumbled to himself before protesting about Glenn moving. 

"That is impossible; this young man needs rest and lots of it!" 

"Now now old man, I'm sure you were just mistaken about Glenn's wounds. Your eyes are not what they use to be, after all. Jolyon said in an attempt to calm the old healer. "And yes, I will get you some clothes of course." 

"I'm not senile damn it! I know he had a broken arm and leg."

The healer said as he moved back towards Glenn. Reaching his hands out to inspect Glenn once more, the healer was stopped as Jolyon placed a hand on the healers shoulder. 

"You said you just wanted to check up on him, don't pressure the poor man." Aggravated by the treatment he was receiving, the healer mumbled loudly before leaving the room in a huff. 

"I hope I did not insult him in anyway." Glenn asked as he stared at the doorway. 

"Don't let it get to you. He just hates it when he is mistaken. And lately, he has been mistaken more often than he would like to admit." Jolyon told Glenn before he moved towards the door. "I'll go get you some clothes now." 

Jolyon was only gone a moment before he brought a bundle of old clothes to Glenn's room. Jolyon even managed to get Glenn a pair of boots, though they were a little loose fitting. Glenn donned a short sleeve shirt and a pair of baggy pants, the size being two sizes too big do to the former owns height and girth. Though Glenn did not require it he placed a crutch, Jolyon had prepared for him, under his right arm. The crutch was nothing more than a branch Jolyon had shaped in to a makeshift support for Glenn. If Glenn did in deed need such a tool it would have worked wonderfully. 

Entering in to the kitchen of the house, Glenn was greeted by Laura and Nell. Both were busy preparing foodstuffs for cooking. However, Nell swiftly hid behind her mother when she noticed Glenn enter the room. 

"Oh, it is good to see you up and about. How are you feeling this morning?" Laura asked as she wiped her hands on her apron. 

"Much better, thank you." Glenn replied as he looked about the kitchen. "Is there anything I can help you with? I feel uneasy imposing upon you like this. I would like to help if I could." 

"Oh no, don't worry yourself about that. You are still weak I'm sure. Besides, I have more than enough help with Nell here." Laura said as she placed a hand on Nell's shoulder. 

"Oh hello, I forgot to thank you yesterday for saving me. Your father said you were the one to find me, yes?" Glenn said as he crouched to half his height. 

"Y . . . yes." Nell replied as she glanced in to Glenn's eyes. 

"Well thank you very much for saving me. I owe you a great debt." Supporting his weight on the crutch, Glenn pulled himself back to his full height. 

"You're welcome." Nell said as she smiled, her fear seeming to fade away as she heard Glenn's kind words. 

Before another word could be said Jolyon entered the room from the front door of the house. "Ah good, I am glad to see you up. You would not mind coming with me for a moment, would you, Glenn?" 

"Of course not, Jolyon." Glenn said, faking a limp as he stepped to Jolyon's side. 

"Good, good, come this way." Jolyon requested as he stepped from the house once again. As Glenn stepped out in to the fresh morning air he could not help but take in a deep breath. Taking a moment to study his surroundings, Glenn found himself on a small farm. The land was peppered with small farms crisscrossing the fields. The farms had sprouted up from around the river that ran through the fields. Which only made sense, the river was a sure supply of water for their crops and live stock. Noticing Jolyon was getting ahead of him, Glenn swiftly followed after him, faking a limp as best he could. Coming to a barn, Glenn followed Jolyon through the two open doors. Coming inside, Glenn was met with the smells and sounds of live stock as they rustled about in their pens 

Glenn watched Jolyon as he moved towards a pile of hay. Sticking his hand in to the hay, Jolyon retrieved Glenn's claymore from underneath the pile. Glenn stared with concerned eyes as Jolyon brushed a few stray strands of hay from the blade. 

"I know you did not use this in any recent battle since it was covered in wrappings when we found you. But, you have to forgive me for being curious." Jolyon handled the claymore with clumsiness as he held it out to Glenn. The weight was clearly too much even for his large arms. 

Glenn remained silent for a long moment as he watched Jolyon. Letting a sigh escape him, Glenn shook his head. "It's a relic from my church. But, we fell on bad times lately and I was sent off to have it appraised and sold in Robona." 

Jolyon examined the blade closely as he heard Glenn's explanation. The blade was indeed worn and well used. And the craftsmanship was old as well. "I suppose that is believable. Coupled with the story you told my wife about the bandits." 

"Did you expect me of something?" Glenn asked as he raised an eyebrow. 

"No no, nothing like that, I just wanted to make sure my family had not taken in so-" Jolyon started before he realized what he was about to say. 

"Someone of ill intent?" Finishing Jolyon's sentence for him, Glenn showed no sign of offence. 

"I'm sorry; I did not mean to be rude. It's just I did not know what to think with this sword and your strange eyes." Jolyon expressed as he lowered his head in shame. 

"Perhaps you thought I was a claymore? Don't feel so bad. Many have mistaken me for such a thing. But, we all know all claymores are women, which is why most refer to them as the silver eyed witches, after all." Glenn said as he let out a chuckle to set Jolyon at ease. "I merely hail from a land far to the east. Most of the people from there have the same color eyes as myself." 

"Really? You must tell me of this land sometime, perhaps over dinner tonight?" Jolyon said as he placed the claymore against a wall. "Ehh I'm sorry for mistreating your churches relic." Jolyon quickly said as he took the blade from the dirty wall. 

"Don't worry about it, any dust or hay can be easily cleaned from such a useless relic of war." Glenn said as he waved a hand to ease Jolyon's embarrassment. 'No doubt you hid it there so your children would not find it and harm themselves." 

Jolyon nodded his head as he placed the sword back against the wall. "Yes, I did not want Jeremy getting his hands on it and doing something foolish." 

"Yes, I can hardly blame you for doing such a thing. The safety of the children should come first and for most." Pausing, Glenn glanced about the barn before turning his sights back to Jolyon. "As I told your wife earlier, I feel uneasy sitting about when I owe you so much. Surely there is something I can do to assist about your household. I am unskilled in farming, but I am sure I can be instructed to perform some simple task." 

Jolyon took a moment to ponder Glenn's request. Jolyon took a long look at Glenn in his battered state. "I don't want you to force yourself. You are still recovering from a horrific incident." 

Glenn shook his head as he heard Jolyon's words of concern. "Your worries are unfounded, I ensure you. As you said, the healer was been mistaken lately about many things. My injuries are not as serious as he first thought. They are just a few minor cuts and sprains." Glenn said as he undid the bandage wrapped about his forehead. 

"Well, if you are not going to take no for an answer. I'm sure Jeremy could use some help out in the field." Jolyon said as he ruffled his hair. A smile came to his lips as he glanced to the floor. "I must say I am surprised with your demeanor. I never thought of a priest to dirty his hands in the fields." 

"Oh you have the image of the priests of Robona filling your mind. Believe me; most priests in small towns are much more down to earth. I have no problem with dirtying my hands. If you will excuse me, I'll go to assist young Jeremy." Glenn said as he left the barn with a friendly wave of farewell. 

It did not take Glenn long to find Jeremy in the open field just a short distance from the barn. Held in the young boy's hands was a scythe that was more than two times the proper size for him. However, this did not prevent him from swinging it with some skill as he cut the long grass of the field. Jeremy went about his chore unaware as Glenn approached. Swinging the scythe back, Jeremy nearly struck Glenn. Still not noticing the priest, Jeremy pulled the Scythe back once more. Catching the shaft of the scythe, Glenn stared down at the dumbfounded boy. Jeremy could not understand why the scythe felt stuck. There was nothing in the field to get it caught on. Turning to locate the problem, Jeremy quickly released the scythe and leapt back, falling in to a pile of cut grass. 

"Hey, what's the big idea?!" Jeremy shouted in anger as humiliation from his surprise and fall came flowing forth. 

"What's the big idea indeed? You nearly took my head off with this." Glenn replied as he examined the scythe. The blade was uncannily sharp. Glenn could only figure the blade was sharpened to be used as a weapon as well as a tool. 

"Well, don't sneak up on people then!" Jeremy shouted as he climbed to his feet. Dusting himself off, Jeremy proceeded to reclaim the scythe from Glenn. "Why are you here anyways? I thought you were bedridden." 

"I'm a fast healer. And the reason I'm here is to help you. Your father told me I could give you a hand." Glenn said as he lowered his hand. 

"Really?" Jeremy responded as he turned to face Glenn. Glenn only nodded in reply before Jeremy threw the scythe to him. Catching the scythe, Glenn glanced at it and then at the boy. "I have been cutting this grass all morning, I need a break. You can take over for a while." 

Glenn looked surprised by the sudden demand, but smiled as he nodded his head. "Sure, sounds like a good idea to me." Taking the scythe by the handles, Glenn took a swing at the grass. However, Jeremy quickly stopped him as he stepped up to him. 

"No no, you are holding it all wrong. And you need to open your legs more." In no time Jeremy had Glenn standing in a peculiar manor. 

Holding the blade over his head with his legs set in an unbalanced state. Glenn could only listen to and watch Jeremy as he attempted to explain the finer points of using the scythe.

Looking at the scythe with concern, Glenn took his next swing. Falling flat on his face, Glenn stared up at the smirking Jeremy. 

"I question your style of scythe usage." Glenn said with a returning smirk. Soon both were laughing as they threw cut grass at each other. 

As dusk came over the land, Glenn stood out in the field with the scythe still firmly held in his grasp. The field nearly cleared of all grass, Glenn wiped his brow of sweat before enjoying the cool breeze as night approached. Sitting on a wood post fence, Jeremy watched as Glenn cut and bundled the grass. Awe and admiration filled Jeremy's eyes as he watched Glenn finish in a day what would have taken him nearly a week. 

"Aren't you tired? I mean you skipped both launch and dinner. You must be hungry and tired!" Jeremy shouted as Glenn stood the last bundle up. 

"Yes, I could use a break, now that you mention it." Glenn said as he placed the scythe against the fence. 

"It's about time. Come on, I saved you some food from diner!" Jeremy said as he pushed himself off the fence. 

As Glenn and Jeremy made their way back to the farm house, they had no idea they were being watched from a forest on the edge of the farm lands. Golden eyes shined along the forest line as a horde of Yoma's stepped out from their cover. The last rays of sunlight gave way to darkness as the sun disappeared behind a hillside. Laughter echoed about the trees as the Yomas moved towards the farm houses. 

Glenn lay wearied on his bed as he stared at the ceiling. "Maybe I should not have pushed myself so hard after being beat up so badly. It was rather foolish of me I suppose. I may even end up giving myself away. Maybe these people would accept me? . . . Yeah right, Claymores are seen as monsters, no different than Yoma's. That's the way it has always been." Glenn had just begun to close his eyes when a flow of yoki came over him. 

Hurrying to his feet, Glenn glanced about the room as he tried to sense the location of the sudden source of yoki. "Have the claymores found me? Crap this is not good, what am I going to do?" Glenn thought until the sound of breaking glass and the sounds of screaming children filled the house. 

Rushing from his room, Glenn proceeded to the children's room. With in the upturned room, Glenn was only able to catch sight of a figure leaving the room through the smashed window. As Jolyon and Laura reached the room, Glenn had already lunged through the window after the kidnappers. 

"Oh my lord, what has happened here!?" Laura shouted before noticing what had taken place. Letting a cry of horror escape her, Laura rushed to the window, screaming the names of her children. Cursing, Jolyon rushed from the house to pursuer the kidnapper as well. 

Rounding the house, Glenn grasped a pitchfork resting against the building. Turning towards the darkened figure rushing through the field, Glenn pulled his arm back before releasing the pitchfork with immense force. Piercing the Yoma's head, the four spikes stuck through its skull on an angle, one blade cleanly puncturing its left eye. A confused look filled the Yoma's eye before it toppled over. Rushing to Jeremy's aid, Glenn kicked the Yoma's body from on top of him. 

"Jeremy, where is your sister?" Glenn asked as he helped the young boy up. 

"I . . . I don't know, there was another monster . . . a . . . and." Jeremy stuttered before Glenn motioned for him to stop speaking. 

"Go back to your parents. Tell your parents to light torches. They are going to need a guide home in this darkness." Glenn said as he retrieved the scythe resting against the fence. There was no time to acquire his claymore. He would have to make do with what he could find at hand. 

Glenn could see Yoma's fleeing from almost every farmhouse along the river. They all held scared, crying, children as they ran towards the forest. None of this made much sense to Glenn as he chased after them. Yoma's don't normally kidnap their meals. They feast where the body drops. At lest that's what he had come to know. Stems of wheat brushed against Glenn's pant legs as he entered a neighbouring field. A Yoma had just left a house with a child tucked under his arm. The child hung limp causing Glenn to fear the worst. Bringing the Scythe to bare, Glenn sliced the yoma in half with one fluid stroke. Removing the child from the Yoma's wilted grasp, Glenn sighed a sigh of relief. The child was still alive, but battered. The yoma must have knocked her unconscious before fleeing. 

"What the hell is going on here?" Glenn asked himself as he rushed to pursue the remaining Yoma's. Glenn had dispatched two more Yoma's before the others even detected him. One of the yoma's turned to meet Glenn head on. However, the yoma raised the child in front of its self to use as a shield. Grinning sadistically, the yoma laughed as it waited for Glenn to stop. Not pausing for a moment at the sight, Glenn continued to rush forward. 

"W..what are you doing you will have to kill this child too if you want to kill me!" The Yoma shouted as its grin began to fade.

Lunging upwards, Glenn brought his blade straight down upon the yoma. As the blade came down it passed behind the child as it imbedded itself in the top of the Yoma's head. Taking the child from the Yoma's grasp, Glenn pulled the blade forward, splitting the yoma in two. Placing the shaken and confused child on his feet, Glenn found him unharmed for the most part. By now torches had been lit and dotted the fields as the children's parents searched for their lost young. 

"Go towards the lights, you will be safe. Your parents are waiting for you." Glenn told the child as he left him to fend for himself. Wading through the river, the last two Yoma's rushed towards the forest. Springing over the river, Glenn stabbed the blade of the scythe through the trailing yoma. The blade barely missing the child in the Yoma's grasp as it pierced its chest. Pain surging through its body, the Yoma's grip weakened allowing the child to free himself. As the child fell to the ground, Glenn pulled the blade up, splitting the Yoma's upper body in half. Glancing up a hill leading to the forest, Glenn caught sight of the last yoma. Held firmly in his grasp, Nell hung unconscious, a small trickle of blood running from her forehead. His eyes glowing gold, Glenn held the scythe up in an attack pose. Fear grasping at the yoma, it quickly retreated to the shadows of the forest. Leaping to the crest of the hill, Glenn swiftly pursued the yoma through the forest. 

Having no path to follow, Glenn dodged in between trees as he followed the yoma. Gaining on the yoma, Glenn swung the scythe at the Yoma's back. Leaping out of the way at the last moment, the yoma skidded to a stop a few meters from Glenn. Placing a clawed hand around Nell's throat, the yoma attempted to hide his large bulk behind the small frail girl. 

"Your friend tried that, he is in two pieces back there." Glenn said as he gestured in the direction they came from. 

"Put down that weapon or I swear I will rip this little girl's throat out!" The Yoma hissed in a high pitched voice. 

With out a moment of hesitation, Glenn relinquished the scythe from his grasp. Spinning wildly the blade soon stuck in to a tree resting between the two adversaries. Lowering his hand, Glenn eyed the yoma as it grinned. His needle sharp teeth in fine display, the yoma began to laugh at Glenn before tossing Nell to the ground. 

"I don't know what you are, but you are a fool!" The yoma shouted as he rushed forward. Extending the claws of his right hand the yoma thrust its right arm forward like a spear. Turning to avoid the strike, Glenn pulled his fist back before throwing it in to the Yoma's face. A spray of blood shot from the Yoma's face as the sound of breaking bone rang out. Tumbling out of control, the yoma flew past Glenn before coming to rest against the trunk of a tree. Glancing over his shoulder at the still yoma, Glenn swiftly rushed to Nell's side. Like all the other children she was still alive and only superficially injured. Sighing, Glenn began to gather the small child up in his arms. As Glenn began to stand a clawed hand gripped his ankle. Before Glenn could react he was pulled off his feet, causing him to drop Nell. Lifted upside down in to the air, Glenn quickly located the source of his attacker. The yoma he had just fought was back to his feet and had elongated his arm. His face rebuilding its self from numerous fractures, the yoma could only try to grin through its broken teeth. 

"You thought a punch was enough to bring a yoma down!? You really are a fool!" the yoma shouted as it raised its free hand. 

Sharpening his claws, the yoma extended his other hand towards Glenn. Holding his arms up as cover, Glenn's right forearm was impaled by the Yoma's fingers. Grasping the Yoma's wrist with his left hand, Glenn held the beast at a stalemate. 

"Damn it! Let go you bastard!" The Yoma shouted as he attempted to ring his arm free. 

Growling, the yoma straightened out his fingers as he extended his claws. Puncturing along Glenn collarbone, the Yoma's claws dug deep. Glenn found his vision blur as blood filled his mouth. His grip loosening, Glenn began to tremble as he forced his hand to grip the Yoma's wrist. 

"Yeah, how do you like that, freak! You have caused me so much trouble. I'm going to enjoy eating that girls guts after this." The Yoma shouted as he chuckled wickedly. 

The veins protruding around his eyes, Glenn's grip suddenly felt like a vice upon the Yoma's wrist. His grin gone, the Yoma stared confused until pain began to twist his expression. Desperately the Yoma attempted to withdraw his arm as Glenn's grip grew stronger. The sounds of crushing bone filled the Yoma's ears before he hollered in agony. His hold on Glenn's ankle released as the yoma withdrew both his hands. Letting the yoma have his hand back, Glenn fell to the ground. Placing a hand to his collarbone, Glenn slowly climbed to his feet as his wounds began to heal. Taking slow steps at first, Glenn soon began to pick up speed as he moved towards the yoma. 

"You son of a bitch! I'll kill you for sure this time!" The Yoma shouted as he launched his hand at Glenn. 

Ripping the scythe from the tree, Glenn slipped the blade between the Yoma's fingers. Cutting in to the Yoma's hand, Glenn began to push the blade forward with each step. Splitting the Yoma's arm in two, Glenn continued down the length of the Yoma's arm until reaching the Yoma himself. Slashing downwards, Glenn split the Yoma's arm and body in two, imbedding the blade in the earth at the end of his stroke. Breathing heavily, Glenn turned towards Nell. Nell watched with frightened eyes as Glenn's bloody figure loomed over the dismembered yoma. Dropping the scythe, Glenn took a few steps closer to Nell. As Glenn grew near, Nell flinched in fear. 

"Its okay Nell, lets get you home to your mother and father." Glenn said with a soft tone. 

Farmers ran about with touches as they reclaimed their children. The children spoke of Glenn's actions causing the farmers to grow concerned and suspicious. Rumours spread wildly among the already scared mob. 

"I told you something was not right about him. Those wounds should have claimed his life!" the old healer shouted as he rallied the mob. "I would not be surprised if he is to blame for the events tonight!" 

Stepping in to the torchlight, Glenn stared at the mob that had formed with indifferent eyes. Standing at Glenn's side, Nell rushed forward as her mother approached with tears in her eyes. Embracing her child, Laura soon turned her gaze to Glenn. Fear filled Laura's eyes as she watched Glenn closely for a moment. Picking Nell up, Laura swiftly carried her to the safety of the rear of the crowd. 

'This was your doing, wasn't it!?" Shouted men from the mob as they raised their torches and brandished their makeshift weapons. 

Glenn remained silent as his eyes became cold. The crowd took a step back as they noticed Glenn's eyes, though they kept their furies demeanour. It was hard to push a group of humans around. They had the silly idea that they were untouchable in numbers. 

"If that is what you wish to think." Glenn said as he walked towards Jolyon's barn. The crowd had to move slightly as Glenn passed by. Reclaiming his claymore, Glenn paused in front of the group. 

"I took care of the Yoma's, but I don't know if there are more or not. You should call a claymore to come and make sure." Glenn suggested before moving towards the main road. 

"Glenn!" Jolyon shouted as he moved in front of the group. ". . .tha. . .thank you.". Glenn did not even pause in his stride however.


	4. Fields of battle

As the noon sun rose to bathe the land in gentle warmth birds could be heard singing soft songs of rejoice. The fields were empty as farmers tended to their traumatized offspring. Only a few went to the fields, gathering the dead Yoma's and burning their bodies in an empty lot of land. A foul smoke rose in to the sky as the demonic flesh burnt upon the flames. The keepers of the morbid flames held rags to their mouths as the stench threatened to over take them. A meeting had been gathered in the largest home of the community. The owner of the house was a wealthy, elderly, farmer by the name of Adair. He had long ago resigned himself from the fields and hired his labourers. Fathers that managed to take themselves from their children's sides filled the dinning room. There was more than enough room for each man to stand comfortably, but most opted to crowd together about the table. Chairs were provided, but most were too anxious to remain seated for any great length of time.

"What are we going to do?" One of the farmers asked as he leaned over the table, his clasped hands resting against the table's surface.

"Maybe we should do what he suggested?" A farmer in the rear replied.

"Hiring a claymore would cost this community greatly. And we are not even sure if there is anymore Yoma's left to begin with." Adair added as he sat at the head of the table.

"So what, we just sit back and wait for someone to have their guts ripped out!?" A young man shouted as he rose from his seat.

"Calm down, Adan." Jolyon said softly as he stared across the table at the agitated man.

"Calm down!? Yoma's came in to all our homes last night and stole our children, right from under our noses!" Adan yelled as he leaned towards Jolyon, his hands firmly pressed against the table top. "Anyone of us could be a Yoma, as well, how can any of us be sure!?"

"If one of us was a Yoma, I'm sure they would have made themselves known during last nights events." Jolyon stated as he rose to meet the aggressive man. "And if we start to think there is a Yoma among us we will start to tear each other apart."

"Yeah, I thought you would say something like that" Adan said as he stepped back from the table, his chair scratching against the floor as it was pushed out.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Jolyon asked as he eyed the younger man.

"You were the ones to take in that claymore or whatever the hell he was." Mumbles began to fill the room as rumours flew like arrows amidst the farmers.

"Who knows what he was. We all know claymores are all women! The silver eyed witches!" A man said as he raised his fist to bring his point to attention.

"Glenn, if it was not for him all our children would be dead or worse right now!" Jolyon shouted as his patience ran thin.

The room quickly erupted in to arguments as ideas, theories, and sides were made. Adair tried to bring order to the mob, but his voice was drowned out among the yelling. Standing, Adair grasped the back of his chair. With one hard, swift, motion, Adair shattered the chair against the wall behind him. Silence filled the room as all eyes fell to him.

"Thank god that worked, it took me forever to make that chair" Adair expressed as he sighed.

Gentle laughter filled the room for a moment before Adair stood straight. "Listen to me, we are not going to degrade in to an angry mob and try and kill each other. As things stand now we may have to send for a claymore to come and put our fears to rest. I'm sure we can all spare some money for that if it will prevent this chaos." Adair said before turning towards a window facing to the east. The forest could be seen clearly through the window, its deep wood shadowing anyone from peering too deep in to its hidden recesses. A flock of birds rose up from the trees as something with in the forest spooked them. A frown came across Adair's face before he turned back to the men filling his dinning room.

"I'll have my messenger sent as quickly as possible to contract a claymore."

With in the darkened woods cracking of branches echoed out as something immense moved through the forest. A looming shadow came to rest over the dismembered yoma, its face and eyes forever frozen in pure agony. The farmers had clearly failed to search the forest or were simply too scared to enter the woods. A scorpion stinger stuck down into the Yoma's chest, causing blood to spray from every orifice. The yoma's body slowly rose as the stinger lifted it from blood stained earth.

"What a bunch of useless beasts." A rasping voice said as the Yoma's torso hung in the air. "They can't even complete a simple job."

Stepping up along the massive hunched figure, a man stood inspecting the body. His appearance was well kept and groomed. His eyes stared over the blood stained scene with a cold harshness that had seen countless battlefields. His loosely kept bronze hair wavered as a gust of wind blew through the woods. His overcoat fluttered about him before he stepped away.

"Maybe they know what happened here." The man suggested as he gazed upon the village through the trees.

With a mere whip of its tail, the massive figure shattered the Yoma's body against a tree trunk. "I can hardly wait; I have been dying for a snack for sometime now."

"No, you stay here. I don't want to cause any more trouble than I have to. If I do encounter trouble, I will call you." A loud huff came from the figure as it stepped back.

"You are too soft on humans. We just need one to tell us what happened." The figure hissed as it hid its bulk behind a line of trees. One of its clawed hands griped and tore in to a tree trunk as he showed no sign of trying to hide his frustration

"It's not a matter of being too soft. We have come too far to be drawing needless attention to ourselves. The last thing I need is the organization becoming aware of us."  
Stepping from the forest, the man began on his way towards the village.

"Whatever you say, Ruarc." The beast replied, its grip growing tighter on the trunk until it snapped in a shower of splinters.

The village was nearly abandoned as Ruarc made his way down the main road. Women and children cowered behind locked doors. Windows and doors had been roughly patched after last nights attack, giving the town a crude shanty appearance. Ruarc could catch images of figures staring at him from windows. But they would quickly vanish when he turned to meet their gazes. Having noticed the pillar of smoke from the forest, Ruarc made his way to the empty lot of land. The men tending the fire sprung up as they noticed the stranger approach them. Some took long shafts of tinder from a pile to use as weapons as they prepared to greet the stranger. As Ruarc came with in a few paces a man held a blackened pitchfork at the ready. The pitchfork was stained with fresh blood as well as blackened charred ashes smearing its points, clearly do to use of tending the fire.

"What do you want stranger? I suggest you move along. Strangers are not welcome here at the moment." The man with the pitchfork said as he pointed the four sharp spikes towards Ruarc.

"I am merely curious of what happened here." Ruarc said as he kept a few paces from the men to keep them at ease. "It seems you have a Yoma problem, by the looks of it." Ruarc said as he glanced towards the partly burnt bodies.

"Yeah, that's right. And you must know now why strangers are not welcome here at the moment." The man said as he kept his weapon held fast.

"Who is it that killed all these Yoma's? Surely you did not have time to call a claymore." Ruarc inquired as he turned his gaze back to the men. "Where is the person that did this? I would very much like to meet her."

Taking a step back from Ruarc the man's hands began to tremble. "Y . . . you . . . you're one of them, aren't you!?" The man stuttered, causing the other men to take on fearful expressions.

"One of what? Surely you don't think me a Yoma?" Ruarc said as he let a charming smile cross his lips.

However, this did not put the men at ease. Steadying himself, the man with the pitchfork thrust his weapon forward as he closed his eyes in horror. The pitchfork abruptly came to a stop in the farmers hands. However, it felt loose; nothing like it should feel if it was embedded in flesh. Opening his eyes, the man stared in disbelief at what he saw. With an open palm, Ruarc stopped the sharp heated blades of the pitchfork. The blade did not even appear to be touching his palm. Ruarc could only sigh as the man fell back, releasing the pitchfork from his grasp.

"I guess I can no longer hope to do this the easy way." The other men began to step back slowly as they prepared to flee. "Don't even think about running away. I have questions that need answering." Ruarc said as he held an out stretched finger towards them.

"Wh . . . what do you want!?" the man on the ground shouted as he watched Ruarc with fearful eyes.

"I want to know who did this." Ruarc asked as he gestured towards the fire.

"It was some claymore . . . no . . . not a claymore, he was a he, no I mean he was a man. I don't know what he was." The man replied, hoping against hope he would be spared a slow death.

"A man? That is perplexing. Are you lying to me, little man?" Ruarc asked as his eyes filled with curiosity.

"No, I'm not lying, go ask Jolyon. He let that person stay with him for a few days." The man yelled as he began to crawl away.

"Where can I find this, Jolyon?" Ruarc inquired before looking about the field, making sure no one was witness to the scene taking place.

"He is at old, man, Adair's place. He is having a meeting with the others. Over there!" The man said before pointing towards a large house in the distance.

Letting a soft chuckle escape him, Ruarc shook his head as he stepped away from the man. "Not only did you sell out the saviour of your children, but your own neighbour. You sicken me." Ruarc whispered before raising his hand.

The forest line exploded in a rain of splinters as the beast rushed forward. In an instant the beast was across the river, traversed the fields of crops before coming to stand before the men. Its body hunched over, the massive beast stared at the men with golden eyes. Its teeth replaced with pincers that clicked together in anticipation. Raising its scorpion tail over its head, it could be seen to split in two half way along its length.

"Just that one, Volker." Ruarc said as he pointed towards the terrified man resting upon the ground.

Chuckling, Volker lashed out with one of his stingers, striking the man in the shoulder. Pinned to the ground by the immense force the man let out a scream of agony as he grasped at the stinger. Retracting his stinger, Volker turned to the other men. Lunging towards the other men, Volker suddenly froze as if held back by an unseen force. Using all his strength to move his head towards Ruarc, Volker hissed loudly in reprisal.

"I told you, just him, leave them alone." Ruarc said as he held an outstretched hand towards Volker.

As Volker's movements froze, the remaining men quickly fled in fear. As Ruarc lowered his hand Volker fell limp to the ground in a loud crash. Struggling on the ground, the stung man attempted to crawl away, but found his body refusing him. Stepping to the man, Ruarc watched him struggle for his life with dead eyes. The young man soon fell limp as his body twitched, his muscles trying to move in futile attempts.

"Volker's venom has a strong paralyzing effect. You won't be able to move at all soon, and after that you won't even be able to breath. However, I'm sure Volker will make a meal of you before that." Ruarc explained before Volker came to loom over the man, the pinchers of his mouth clattering together in expectation once more.

"You stay here and enjoy your snack. I'll be back in a few minutes." Ruarc said before he began towards Adair's dwelling. The sound of Volker's feasting and the screams of torment followed Ruarc. Silence only coming when the man was finely silenced by Volker's hunger.

When Ruarc approached Adair's abode he was greeted by all the men gathered about the entrance. The men that had fled had warned the others of the Yoma that had come to the village. Most held makeshift weapons, only a few had a hold of true weapons.

"Which one of you is Jolyon?" Ruarc demanded as he glanced about the men standing before him.

"What do you want with Jolyon, you foul beast!" Adan replied as he attempted to stand his ground with out trembling. "We will not let you take our children! We will fight you to the death!" He said as he brandished a sickle.

"Hmm I like you. But I still must know who among you Jolyon is." Ruarc said as a soft smile caressed his lips.

"I'm Jolyon, what is it you want with me?" Jolyon answered as he stepped to the front of the group, his hands firmly grasping the shaft of a worn axe.

"I am pleased to see there are some brave men among you. I only wish to ask you a few questions. Answer truthfully and you will be left with only one death. That is quite the accomplishment with all considered." Jolyon gulped before nodding his head. "Good, I'll make this as quick as possible. Who was it that killed those Yoma, and where is that person now?"

"He left last night, we feared him and he left when we confronted him after he killed the Yoma's. I think he went north." Jolyon said as he pointed down the road.

"I see, so it was a man. What was his name?" Ruarc asked as he glanced down the road.

"I don't know if it was his real name or not, but he went by the name Glenn." Ruarc quickly turned his attention back to Jolyon with a surprised expression.

"Glenn, you said Glenn, correct?" Jolyon only nodded his head as a bead of sweat rolled down his brow. "I see, well that was not so hard was it." Ruarc stated before he began back down the road. "Oh yes." Ruarc said as he paused in his stride. "Don't tell anyone about what transpired here today or the other night. If I hear about you calling a claymore I will unleash a torrent of Yoma upon this village." Ruarc turned to continue on his way, but paused once more as a soft chuckle came from him. "He saved your children and you feared him, humans will never change."

As Ruarc met up with Volker once more only a hollowed out body remained of the young farmer. Staring at the blood stained maw of his comrade, Ruarc could only shake his head and sigh.

"You truly are a beast." Ruarc told Volker before he moved past him.

"Why are we leaving this village unharmed, it should be laid to waste." Volker said in an aggravated tone of voice.

"One thing we have to learn if we are to survive is to stop thinking like gluttonous beasts. This town can provide us with future resources." Ruarc said before coming to a halt. "They said a man killed all the Yoma's and then went north. I want you to go ahead of me and find that man. Don't kill him however, I want him alive." A gust of wind blew about as Volker vanished from sight. A trail of rising dust the only indicator to which direction Volker went. "I will have to deal with him sooner or later I suppose. . . Or perhaps not."

Upon a flat stretch of road, Glenn came to an abrupt halt. He had been walking for a night and half a day, but he was still a good half a day's journey from reaching the end of the valley. Turning to face the direction he came from. Glenn narrowed his eyes as he grasped his claymore firmly. A strong yoki aura was gaining quickly on him.

"Great, I don't need this." Glenn said aloud as Volker appeared before him. His body crouched; Volker stared at Glenn for a long moment.

"So I guess it was true. I thought Ruarc was fooled by those humans. But here you are, a male claymore. What are you some kind of washed up fossil?" Volker asked with a mocking tone.

"Fossil? No . . . I'm a relic. A relic that would like to be forgotten about and left alone" Glenn said as he stared up at the awakened one with a soft smirk.

"What's with that look? Are you trying to piss me off; I'm going to have to break your jaw if you keep smirking like that." Volker threatened as he lowered himself to an attack posture. His forked tail rising above his body as it prepared to strike.

Chuckling, Glenn raised a hand as he waved it in a dismissing fashion. "You look like something I should be scraping off my boot."

Furious rage filled Volker's eyes as he thrust his tails down upon Glenn. The ground shattered under the massive force of the blow. Rocks and dust were thrown in to the air causing a blanket of dust to cover the roadway. As the dust cleared, Volker stared in a stupor at his stingers imbedded in the dirt road. Standing a dozen yards from the sight of destruction, Glenn held his claymore against his back.

"You picked a poor place to challenge me. In this kind of battle ground I can spread my wings and really fly." Glenn said as he gestured to the nearly flat farmland.

"Don't get cocky because you dodged my first attack. You are as good as-" Volker began before Glenn vanished.

Appearing underneath Volker, Glenn thrust his blade up towards his stomach. Leaping upwards, Volker nearly avoided Glenn's attack with but a light cut along his stomach. Landing beside the road with a small quake, Volker swiftly swung his tails at Glenn. Blocking the swiping attack with his blade, Glenn's feet skidded upon the roadway, his momentum only fading when his feet struck the soft grassy earth of the roadside. Both warriors stood on opposite sides of the road, each trying to stare the other down.

'Well, you can move rather fast, I'll give you that. But, you are no where's near as fast as I am." Volker told Glenn as his body began to shift to a more insect monstrosity of his formal self.

Volker's skin began to harden until a thick shell enchased his body. His shoulders cracked as they dislocated and lurched forward to be level with his head. Sharp bone tore from his chest, his ribcage shifting in to pairs of boney limbs. Five new eyes dotted his head, all wandering in search of something before gazing upon Glenn.

"A few more eyes and limbs are not going to save you." Glenn shouted as he rose to his full height.

Firmly taking hold of his claymores hilt, Glenn took a defensive stance. His blade held across his body to protect against any sudden attacks, Glenn beamed with confidence. His attacker was dim witted and had given in to his aggressive behaviour that came with awakening. Tightening his grasp on his hilt, Glenn watched as Volker's muscles tensed as he prepared to attack. Vanishing in a gust of wind and dust, Glenn watched in awe as his eyes failed him. He had completely missed Volker's movements. A jolt of yoki gave Volker's position away, causing Glenn to turn swiftly. Raising his claymore up, Glenn had barely enough time to counter the in coming attack. Flesh tore and bone snapped as one of Volker's stingers ripped through Glenn's forearm. The stinger deflected off Glenn's claymore and punctured clean through Glenn's forearm, spitting venom harmlessly in to the air. Pulling his claymore back with one hand, Glenn swung it in to a seam in the tail, cutting the stinger free. Staggering back, Glenn stabbed his claymore in to the ground before ripping the stinger from his arm. Blood sprayed from the fresh wound, quickly covering Glenn's attire in a thick crimson red. Tossing the still pulsating tail fragment aside, Glenn took his blade back up as he held it with one hand. Muscles torn and bone broken, Glenn held his injured arm at his side as it poured crimson red on to the earth. Glenn cursed himself and his over confidence as he grit his teeth and fought back the pain.

"Okay, I may have underestimated you" He said as he turned his stance to keep his wounded arm covered.

Both watched each other, waiting for the other to make a move, waiting for any flinch of a muscle, a dart of the eye. Suddenly both tensed their muscles and they were gone. Flashes of images like mirages spawned in to life before fading in to nothingness. Sparks flew about the fields before the earth was torn a sunder under an unseen, ruthless, force. Just as suddenly as they had vanished both reappeared, each caught in a deadly struggle. His blade firmly wedged in Volker's claws, Gleen began to force his blade down. Yoki flowed through the valley like an unstoppable torrent as each combatant fought to gain the upper hand. His eyes shining amber, veins soon began to bulge around Glenn's eyes as an extra boost of yoki burst forth. Hide and flesh tore as Glenn forcefully and brutally cut through Volker's claws.

"You son of a-" Volker shouted before knocking Glenn away with the bloody remnants of his left claw.

Driven by anger, Volker began to strike out violently with his stinger. The tail wavered and struck out like a living breathing thing, its motions random and swift. Catching the Stinger with his claymore, Glenn held it at bay as it attempted to sink its self in to his flesh. Venom slowly tricked out of the stingers razor point. The clear liquid harmlessly dribbled down the claymores tarnished surface. The deadly substance went completely unnoticed unstill it dripped from the hilt on to Glenn's hand. Searing pain shot through Glenn's hand as the venom began to consume his flesh, forcing his grip to weaken from the sudden shock. Thrown back from the force, Glenn's body skidded across the rough stony ground before coming to a halt. The searing pain in his hand became dulled by his battered and bruised body. Rising to his feet, Glenn attempted to reclaim his grip on his claymore, but found his hand lacking in strength. Quickly examining his hand, Glenn could only cringe at the sight. The venom had already eaten its way to the bone, exposing the bleached white surface. Muscle and tendons had been severed, leaving his hand limp and useless.

"Not bad huh? My other stinger is filled with a powerful acid that eats away flesh, i try not to use it much, since i don't like to drink my meals. Volker boasted as he pulled his stinger back. "I was really going to do what he had told me, I was really going to let you live. But, now you pissed me off and I'm just going to kill you! And there is not a damn thing you can do about it!" Volker shouted as he manoeuvred his massive bulk in front of Glenn.

"Yeah, it looks like you have me at a disadvantage. I should have been more careful, but what are you going to do?" Glenn said as he smiled warmly towards Volker.

"What the hell!? How can you be smiling at a time like this? You're about to die!" Volker shouted as one of his mangled claws struck the ground in aggravation.

"Hey, I had a good run; you can't live forever, right? I was kind of hoping for a more peaceful end, but I guess god had other plans. Maybe its just fate? Claymores are not meant to have a nice peaceful life, its death at the razor edge of a blade or at the clawed fingers of a yoma . . . or becoming an awakened, am I right?"

"Heh it's good that you have come to terms with your death. Be glad you get to die with out regrets."

"Oh I would not say that, I have lots of regrets . . . now that I think about it; there are still a lot of things I still have to do. So I guess you are just going to have to be the one to die today."

"Ha you're full of shit, you must have lost your mind." Volker shouted before calming himself as he studied Glenn's smiling face. "You don't have a grip on reality anymore! I'll release you from your madness."

His tail posed to attack, Volker thrust it down with enough force to perforate Glenn's body. Grasping his claymore, Glenn struck out with it, deflecting the stinger away from him. As the stinger imbedded its self in to the earth beside Glenn, He swiftly swung his blade taking the stinger from its tail. Blood gushed from Volker's tail as it pulled back and thrashed about violently.

"How the hell did yo-" Volker shouted before noticing the arm Glenn was using to wield his claymore. The arm he had stabbed with his stinger, it had almost completely healed. "That's impossible, when did you!" Volker shouted before Glenn vanished only to reappear as he stabbed his claymore through Volker's right arm.

"You like to talk and boast too much, should have finished me off when you had the chance." Glenn said as he held Volker's arm pinned to the ground.

At that moment Volker realized he had healed it while they were talking, how he had seemed to resign himself to his own death. Over come with rage from being tricked, Volker lashed out with his free arm. Vaulting over the attacking arm, Glenn Pulled his blade back as his feet touched solid ground. Blood sprayed forth as Glenn swung his blade down, severing Volker's arms at the elbow. As Volker opened his mouth to bellow forth a war cry, Glenn spun on his hill before Thrusting his claymore down Volker's throat. Volker's eyes stared in what could only be described as fear as he choked on the cold metal shoved down his oesophagus.

"Chew on this for a while, savour it!" Glenn shouted as he twisted the blade, shredding and tearing the soft flesh of Volker's throat. Shifting his hand around the hilt, Glenn tensed his muscles as he tore his blade out through Volker's head and back.

Calm filled the valley as Glenn staggered away from the corpse. Stabbing his claymore in to they earth, Glenn proceeded to rest against it. It had been years since he had done such a thing, but at the moment it felt like the right thing to do. Raising his injured hand, Glenn watched in disgust as the venom continued to slowly consume his flesh. Placing his hand against the claymore, Glenn peeled off the flesh that still had venom consuming it. Glenn's teeth grit in pain, sweat dripped from his brow as the pain went through his body like lightning. When he was done the wound looked worse then it had before, but at lest now he could begin healing it.

"That looks painful." Ruarc said as he sat against the other side of the claymore.

Taken by surprise, Glenn rose to his feet and took up his claymore once more, causing Ruarc to fall on his back. Ruarc merely laughed as he rose to his feet well he dusted himself off.

"It's nice to see you too, Glenn."

"This can't be happening." Glenn said as he held his claymore at his side, his body hunched and weary.


	5. Reunion

His body battered and bleeding Glenn held his claymore near to his body, the blunt of his blade facing his new enemy in a defensive manner. The blade trembled in his hand, not for a lack of bravery, but from a worn and tired sword arm. It had been many seasons since Glenn had taken up a weapon in defence and the peaceful life he had led was beginning to show. The last few battles were won on luck, he had taken the Awakened one by surprise and the yoma's had resigned them selves to flee rather then fight head on. The first true battle with an awakened one had left him wounded and winded. He should have been expecting this, the Awakened one said he had been told to come find him. However, Glenn had learned to ignore jeering and word play by his enemy, Awakened beings often used such tactics to anger opponents in to a reckless rage.

"I must say it is pleasant to see you again, Glenn, but I have to admit, I did not think I would see you again in this form." Ruarc stated as he took a glance of Glenn's battered body. "You have let yourself go, Glenn" Ruarc said in a half mocking town as he smiled and shook his head. "Volker would have been nothing to you a few centuries ago. You have been slacking off, haven't you?"

Glenn let his guard soften as he heard Ruarc speak as if they had been acquaintances of a time long past. Glenn searched his worn and faded memories like an aged scholar sifting through faded tomes. However, Glenn would find the answer to the man's identity in a much more resent memory. The awakened one known as Volker had spoken a name, Ruarc.

"Ruarc?" Glenn said in disbelief as his eyes widened.

"That's right . . . how have you been, Glenn?" Ruarc said as his lips curled in to a mocking smirk.

A battle cry bellowed forth as Glenn rushed forward as he swung his claymore in wild arcs. Ruarc swiftly and skilfully avoided each swing, his hands never leaving the pockets of his overcoat as he did. Taking his left hand from his pocket, Ruarc grasped the blade of Glenn's claymore, causing it to stop as if it had struck a metal rod.

"Do you forget what they use to call me, Glenn?" Glenn only snarled in reply as he pushed his blade in to Ruarc's hand. "Iron skin Ruarc." Ruarc answered as he thrust his right fist in to Glenn's gut. Glenn feet left the ground as the immense force tore in to his stomach. Blood sprayed forth from Glenn's throat as organs ruptured and bled out. His legs falling limp, Glenn was held up only by the firm grip he kept on his claymore. Holding Glenn's claymore, Ruarc simply tossed it aside, sending Glenn along with it.

"All this time and this is the best you have to offer. What? Did you just give up and try and live a normal life? Claymores are not meant to live a normal life; the organization robbed us of that!" Ruarc said as he took Glenn by the hair before forcing his head up. "You know what a Claymore's options are as well as I do, death or awakening. I was perplexed how you managed to survive in this form for so long, but I guess you just gave up and locked your yoki away. It seemed to work, granted, but then again, you were always different" Ruarc stated before releasing Glenn. "Something about you set you apart from the rest. Maybe that helped you make it this long."

'You killed them, you killed her! No matter how long it takes I'm going to kill you, no matter what the cost!" Glenn shouted as he slowly raised his head towards Ruarc.

"Are you still on about that!?" He shouted, half in surprise and anger. "You sure can hold a grudge, I'll give you that." He said as he shook his head in a chuckle. "Fine, lets settle this, get up, come on now." Ruarc said as he shoved Glenn with his foot. "I'll give you one free shot, you better make it count." He offered as he walked a short distance between himself and Glenn's hunched body.

Turning to face Glenn, Ruarc placed his hands in his pockets once more as he stood commonly, as if the matter was not of life and death. Rising slowly to his feet, Glenn took up his claymore once more as he held it at his side in a ready to swing position. Glenn paused as he begun to call out his yoki. Glenn's eyes flashed golden as veins began to bulge. His teeth sharpening to fine points he held them in a beastly grin as his vision narrowed on his target. Green yoki began to surge out from his body, causing air currents to shift and blow about him in a dust devil. Sound faded from Glenn's perception as he thrust himself forward. The peaceful sounds of the valley were shattered as a blast like thunder reverberated off the mountains and filled the valley. Dust rose up in to the sky from the site where Ruarc had been standing. Junks of rock and earth rained down in clumps as gravity pulled them back down. As the wind pushed the dust away, Glenn stood frozen, his claymore hovering mere centimetres from Ruarc's head.

"There, you had your shot, and you failed . . . feel better?" Ruarc mockingly asked causing Glenn to scream in his face. "It seems you're starting to revert back to your old self." Ruarc stated before wrenching the claymore from Glenn's grasp. Tossing Glenn aside, Ruarc held the claymore in midair by an invisible force. "This thing just brings back bad memories for you, why do you hold on to it? Is it because of her? Let me relieve you of the mental anguish it brings." Rising from the ground, Glenn only had enough time to watch as sparks flew from the claymore as it was sliced in to seven cleanly cut pieces.

"You son of a bitch!" Glenn shouted as he rushed forward to attack with his bare hands.

However, Glenn was swiftly halted as he found his body held back. As he began to struggle sharp pain tore through his limbs as cuts formed across them. Trickles of blood soon outlined the thin metallic fibbers restraining his body in the form of crimson threads. As his eyes focused on the hair like threats, Glenn could see them arising straight from Ruarc's body. Each thin enough to pass through the fabric of Ruarc's clothing.

"You are starting to remind me why they use to call you Glenn of the beast. It's kind of disappointing watching you like this." Ruarc said to Glenn as he tightened the grip of the threats on Glenn's body.

'Don't call me that." Glenn replied as he narrowed his golden eyes on Ruarc's face.

"Yes I know, you hate that name, but since you are acting like a beast, I'm just going to have to treat you like a beast." Raising his right arm, Ruarc's forearm exploded in to an enumerable amount of metal threats that swiftly combined in to a weapon not unlike that of a whip.

His body still restrained, Glenn could only watch as the whips lash struck him across the chest. The whip cut like the blade of a sword, almost tearing his rip cage open. Blood sprayed from Glenn's mouth as he screamed in agony. The second lash cut deep in to his right shoulder sending a spray of blood in to the air. The third slashed down his face, destroying his left eye in the processes. Wrapping the metal whip around Glenn's throat, Ruarc tightened the grip until Glenn's wind pipe closed. Already out of breath, Glenn quickly fall prey to the lack of air as his body began to fall limp. His vision blurring and his senses dulling, Glenn could only hear the sound of his own heart beat as it slowed. Flinging Glenn like a flail, Ruarc smashed his limp body in to the ground before throwing it away like a cub that had grown tired of its broken toy.

"You put up a much better fight back then, Glenn." Ruarc said as he began to approach the fallen warrior.

Shifting his arm in to a jagged metal blade, Ruarc stopped over top of Glenn's body. "Maybe I'll take an arm so you will have something to let the fires of vengeance burn a new, make it so you will always remember me and remember your quest to kill me." Ruarc said as he grasped Glenn by the collar.

Glenn's head hung limp as blood poured down his face and on to the earth. "I was hoping you would be awake for this." Ruarc Said as he positioned his blade to cut Glenn's right arm off. Springing to life, Glenn sank Volker's acid filled stinger in to Ruarc's shoulder. The sensation that could have once been known as pain shot through Ruarc's body as the stinger pumped acid in to his flesh. Releasing Glenn, Ruarc stumbled back as his shoulder and upper arm began to dissolve away in a ghastly display. "When did you?" Ruarc asked before noticing the impact crater where Volker's stinger had come to rest when Glenn cut it from his tail. He had unwittingly thrown Glenn over towards it. Cursing his careless action, Ruarc swiftly severed his arm from the rest of his body in swarm of metallic fibres.

"How do you like that? Not so high and mighty anymore, are you!?" Glenn jeered as he tossed Volker's stinger away. Panting heavily, Glenn waited for Ruarc's reply.

"Heh, oh yeah, you sure got me." Ruarc said mockingly as threads of metal began to reconstruct his arm. Glenn's heart sank as he watched the only damage he had inflicted to Ruarc heal in a matter of moments. "Don't feel so down, that was a . . . that was . . . well that was just plain luck." Ruarc replied before striking Glenn across the face with his metal fist. The force of the blow threw Glenn across the field and back on to the road way where dirt and rock tore his exposed skin. Calmly traversing the fields, Ruarc came to loom over Glenn once more. Placing a booted food over Glenn's wounded chest, Ruarc began to grind his heel down causing Glenn to recoil in pain. His breath taken away by the searing pain, Glenn hung his jaw in a silent scream as Ruarc showed no amnesty. However, as the fight began to reach its climax, Ruarc retracted his boot and stepped a few paces from the wounded Glenn.

"I'm going to give this fight to you, having you die here would be meaningless. You may not know it, but I have a lot invested in you." Ruarc stated before he began to move away.

" . . Wh . . . What?" Glenn said as he rolled on to his stomach. "Don't . . . turn your back on me! . . . Come back and fight me, coward!" Glenn shouted as he attempted to catch his breath.

'Don't push your luck, Glenn, I have not even transformed yet and you are near death. Become strong and then come for me. I want to fight they old Glenn. I'll be around; you will be able to find me again."

"Damn it . . . Damn it . . . Damn it!" Glenn said as he struggled to climb to his feet; however he quickly collapsed on to the dirt road as pain forced his arms to buckle. "You better count on it Ruarc, I'm going to come for you and I'm going to kill you!"

"I look forward to the day; just don't make it another few hundred years." Ruarc said as he held a hand out in a farewell.

Glenn watched As Ruarc vanished from sight before letting himself rest his head upon the dirt road. Blood had already began to form darken clumps of dirt around his body. His body was losing blood quickly, far too quickly. Releasing what little yoki he had left, Glenn began to close his wounds. His body was pushed to its limit, and he could feel an old feeling dawning on him. It was a feeling he had not felt in years, a feeling he had been told was the path of destruction. But, at that very moment, it felt good.


	6. The beast

A scream pierced the night air like a well sharpened blade, causing those at rest to swiftly rise and take notice. Shouts and hollers were soon exchanged as the organization's headquarters erupted to life. Blades drawn, claymores and those in training took to the mountain side. All expected a yoma attack, but found the night air strangely at rest. Minutes would pass before they would discover the source of the scream. The site stumbled upon by a young claymore trainee. The victim lay in pool of his own blood with in the center of the training hall, his body eviscerated by a bladed weapon. The victim was a trainer of claymores, renowned for his violent and ruthless training methods. Dispatching claymores in all directions, the heads of the organization sat impatiently, waiting for word on the search. A discarded, bloody, training sword would give the direction away as to the escape route the murderer took. A claymore and three trainees gathered about the blood stained weapon, the still warm blood draining offs its cold surface. Meade lifted the blade from the dirt path, causing droplets of blood to steadily fall from its bladed edge. She had finished her claymore training only a few months ago and this was the first group she had been put in charge of. Taking a moment to examine the small group of trainees, Meade could not help but sigh at how pathetic it was.

"You, head back and tell the others to come this way." Meade ordered as she pointed randomly at one of the trainees.

Swallowing hard, the young claymore in training nodded her head before rushing off to inform the others. Focusing her eyes, Meade followed a trail of blood drops leading in to a darkened forest. The blood was too meagre to be from a wound, more than likely the victim's blood dripping from the attacker's hands. Throwing the blood stained sword aside, Meade turned to her remaining team-mates.

"Come on." She commanded as she followed the trail in to a darkened forest.

The small group had only managed to make it less than a kilometre before they were met with a surge of yoki. It was untamed and violent, clearly giving the position of the assailant away. The two trainees instantly froze at the sensation, its savage and powerful nature bewildering them. Meade cursed silently under her breath as she noticed the state of her companions. They were completely inexperienced, and were only out there do to the lack of man power. She knew she should wait for the others to arrive, but the yoki was steadily growing in intensity. If she did not act they would have an awakened one to contend with.

"Lets go, stay behind me and attack only when I do." She shouted before rushing forward. Passing gracefully between the trees, the claymores only came to a halt as they spotted the hunched figure through a line of trees. The air was thick with the smell of blood, too strong to be from the killer's victim. The sound of tearing flesh forced Meade to raise her blade. Moon light poured through the forest canopy as a cloud glided past, revealing the sight before her.

Hunched over the remains of a deer, the young figure tore at the dead creature's throat with tooth and nail. Glancing up from its kill, the young boys eyes glowed with a tint of red as he narrowed his eyes on the intruders. His mouth still clutching the dead animal, the boy began to rise to his feet. The already shredded flesh tore and sprayed blood as the boy attempted to carry it with him. The bulk of the carcase pulling against him, the boy released it, causing it to fall to the ground like a limp doll. Taking a step back from the scene, Meade steadied herself. It was only then that she noticed her two companions behind her. They had both turned pale and looked very much confused with what was happening. Had she been too late? Had he already awoken? No, he was not awakened yet. However, he was acting in a peculiar manor, attacking animals like some wild beast.

"Get ready, we have to finish him off, quickly!" she shouted to the two younger girls, hoping to jar them out of any absent state of mind they may have found themselves in.

Blood poured down the boys chin as it over flowed from his mouth. His clothing, drenched in blood, stuck to him like a second crimson skin. As they raised their weapons to attack, the blood covered youth's eyes focused on their blades alone. The look in his eyes was first of fear, but quickly became rage as he lowered his stance and bellowed a deformed roar. Flinching as the roar met her ears; the trainee to Meade's left took a hesitant step back. Her blade began to tremble as she tightened her grip; her mouth had gone draw and her hands damp. She had barely begun learning swordsmanship, why she was even out there was completely beyond her reasoning.

Yoki began to rise up from the boy, appearing as a foul darkened smoke. Bracing herself, Meade prepared her blade to strike as she watched the boy prepare to attack. His speed vastly superior to her own, Meade could only watch in horror as the boy began his attack. Avoiding Meade's blade with ease, the boy directed his attention towards the frightened trainee. His mouth wide in a wild roar, the boy reached out towards the trainee. Raising her blade in an attempt to attack, the young trainee failed to realize she had left her self completely open. Grasping the trainee's throat, the boy swiftly swept her off her feet. His momentum unchanged, the boy carried the trainee off. Their bodies tearing through the undergrowth as he did. Skidding across the forest floor, the boy forced the girls head down, making sure she felt every rock, every root and every broken branch. Coming to a halt, the feral boy reared his head back as a cracks and pops sprang forth from his jaw. His maw opening to almost three times its normal size, he grasped the dazed girl by the throat. Like a lion upon a gazelle, the boy clamped his jaws down over the girl's throat, his eyes shining forth with the same beastly nature as he did. The trainee gasped in shock as her attackers teeth dug deep in to her flesh. She could feel the liquid warmth of her blood running down her neck as it seeped through her attacker's teeth. She could feel her airway close as his jaws tightened. Blood sprang up from her mouth as she instinctively attempted to fill her lungs.

Her vision blurring and her senses growing numb, the trainee let her body fall limp. For some reason she didn't feel angry or scared, she felt more giddy then anything. She even went as far as smiling as her vision began to go grey. His ears perking up, the boy relinquished his prey as a claymore arched towards him. Her blade cutting only air, Meade turned swiftly to the last standing member of her team. "Stay with her!" She shouted before lunging towards her opponent.

* * *

Towards the outskirts of the forest, two black cloaked figures stood on a hill side. Each watched the unchanging forest as if something very exciting was taking place. Suddenly the image of the still forest was shattered as trees began to fall and crash to the forest floor.

"This is a disaster, I would say."

"I don't know about that, we maybe able to finally test what he is truly capable of."

"And what if he becomes too hard to control and he ends up dead?"

"There is no need to worry about that; we had someone ready just in case such an event took place. He should be arriving shortly." He stated as a figure clad in claymore garments made his way to the top of the hillside. "Good, you have arrived." The cloaked man said as he turned his head to the new arrival.

"This day has been expected for sometime now; you know what you have to do." The second cloaked man stated as the claymore smiled and stepped past both men. "Is he really trust worthy . . . I have heard rumours. His goals maybe very different from our own" He asked his companion as the claymore stepped out of ear shot.

"I can not be sure with any certainty, but at the moment we have no choice but to rely on him."

"He should be watched closely, he has too much influence with the remaining males."

* * *

Trees fell like twigs as Meade cut her way through the forest to reach her opponent. Her eyes blazing with golden fire she swung her blade with ferocity as she chased the feral boy. Springing off trees, the boy avoided each attack with the agility of a wild animal. Dodging another blade stroke, the boy dropped to the ground as he prepared to attack. Lunging forwards, the boy pulled his right hand back as he readied himself to attack. Swinging her Left leg out, Meade caught the boy across the jaw with her metal plated boot. Spiralling back from the blow, the boy came to rest on his back. Blood streamed from his mouth, mixing with the blood already staining his face. The world was blurry and confusing as his brain tried to recover from the immense blow. Leaping in to the air, Meade swung her blade down with all the force she could muster. Mercy for this boy had long past and now she simply wished to make him pay with his life.

The ground splintered and tore as the blade came down, however, Meade reared back in surprise. Grasping the blade with the palms of his hands, the boy began to fight for control of the weapon. Planting her feet, Meade began to force the blade down. Inching the blade towards the boy's body, Meade failed to pay mind to the boy's legs. Striking out with his legs, the boy sent the claymore flying in to the branches of a near by tree. Tearing through a set of branches, Meade soon felt the pull of gravity. Crashing in to the ground, Meade rolled on to her back as she began to regain her breath. Picking one of the broken branches from the ground, the boy held it lazily in his right hand. Noticing her opponent's actions, Meade attempted to climb to her feet. However, she found herself lacking as she attempted to rise. Her body was still recovering and the best should could manage was wavering on her hands and knees. Strolling over to Meade, the boy grasped the branch in both hands. The branch was as thick as a man's arm and had broken roughly, giving it a splintered and weakened appearance. Drawing the branch over his head, Meade could only watch as the boy prepared to strike. Placing all of his might behind his attack, the boy brought the branch down across Meade's head, shattering the end of it in a shower of splinters.

The blow had sent stars to Meade's vision, causing her to loosen her grip upon her claymore. Attempting to reclaim her weapon, Meade was halted as the boy pressed his foot upon her hand. Grinding his boot down on her hand, the boy proceeded to strike her across the face, much like she had done to him. Watching her body tumble over, the boy tossed his broken club aside before straddling Meade's chest. Grasping her by the collar, the boy drew his free hand back as he pointed his claws forward. His hand posed to finish the battle, the boy turned his head in wonder. Something had drawn his attention away from the task at hand. Something was moving about him, something he could not see or hear, but he felt it, it was close and it was dangerous. As his head turned yet again in search of the presence, the blunt side of a claymore lashed across his face, sending him wheeling back. His wild motion only coming to an end as his body thrashed against a tree.

"Are you unharmed?" The ivory haired male claymore asked before turning to the stricken feral boy. His attire was different from the average female claymores. It was much more costumed to his masculine dimensions and figure. The short cape being replaced with a cloak that reached down to his knees.

"I . . . think so. . ." She replied before looking to her saviour. The cross, similar to an arrow cross, on his collar gave his identity away before she even glanced his face. "Ruarc?" her voice filled with surprise as she stared at the young man's face. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to address this problem." Ruarc told her as he brandished his claymore with a single hand. "You have done well enough, you should leave." Ruarc suggested as he stepped towards his stricken opponent.

Bracing himself against the tree he had struck, he rose to his unsteady feet. The boy stumbled away from the tree, his feet only half obeying him. The boy growled in displeasure as he raised a hand to the gash that had been delivered to him. Noticing the new arrival, the boy sunk low as he stretched himself out, a vain attempted to make himself appear larger. His hands and feet pressed against the ground, the boy watched Ruarc in a defensive manner.

"Give up, you're beat. You should know that just by my arrival here." Ruarc stated bluntly as he lowered his claymore.

The boy growled lightly as he displayed his many finally pointed teeth. Ruarc could only shake his head in dismay at the boy's aggression. "Don't make me force you to come back. You have no idea of the misfortune you have brought upon yourself, this time."

Shouting savagely, the boy lunged forward, his clawed finger trips striking out at Ruarc's face. Easily side stepping the attack, Ruarc thrust the hilt of his claymore in to the young boy's gut. Saliva mixed with blood sprayed from the boy's mouth as his knees buckled. Grasping the child by the collar, Ruarc dragged him back to his feet as he held his claymore lazily.

"Why do you have to force this upon yourself?" He asked before thrusting his claymores hilt against the child's head, rendering him unconscious before he could reply in any form. As if cued by the defeat of the child, a black cloaked figure appeared like a phantom from the darkened woods.

"So it's finished, is it?" the cloaked man inquired as he glanced at the child's beaten body. The child looked anything but threatening now, he seemed more pathetic then anything. Bloodied and beaten, he appeared as if he had just survived a war.

"I would not say that, he is just unconscious." Ruarc stated as he lifted the child gingerly before placing him over his shoulder. "I'll take him back now."

"There will be no escape for him this time, his fate is almost certain." The black cloaked man said, as if the matter had already been settled.

"I don't think so, I have a feeling this boy has a long road ahead of him." Ruarc said with a charming smile as he glanced back towards the cloaked man.

"Don't let your "feelings" Obscure your eyes from the reality of the situation." He replied as Ruarc vanished with in the darkness. "Number 23, Meade." The cloaked man said, causing Meade to rise to attention. "You would find it much more convenient if you forgot about that boy. "

"What? Why? Shouldn't he have been put to death already? He killed a hum-" she began before the man's stare cut her off.

"It's complicated, and something you don't have to worry yourself about." He paused for a moment as he stared off in the direction Ruarc had left in. "The child will most likely die; don't pine over thoughts of vengeance." he informed Meade before stepping in to the darkness of the woods.

Meade held her claymore tightly as she watched the man vanish in to the darkness. "Damn it!" She shouted as she struck a near by tree with the end of her fist. Before she could feed her anger any farther, Meade rose up in realization. Rushing through the path of destruction she had cut, Meade came to a halt as she came upon her two companions. The trainee that had been wounded had already begun to recover and was well out of danger. Letting her tension fade, Meade lowered her claymore, letting its tip rest on the ground. The crosslet cross on its hilt evident for the first time.

* * *

The following days Meade spent her time roaming the grounds of the headquarters. The organization had left her unattended, as if ignoring her very existence. But, she could not say she did not mind the time of rest. The events of that night and her duel with the feral child had left her confused and filled with unanswered questions. She had been told to forget the whole event, but it was easier said then done. What had drove that young trainee to such lengths of insanity. Was the organization working on a new form of claymore? Or was it a form of training gone horribly wrong? Or was the child just unstable?

Meade was still asking herself these questions when she was ordered to meet with the heads of the organization. Standing before the five elderly men, Meade waited patiently for the reason why she had been summoned before them. Noticing their judging stares, Meade suddenly felt naked before them. They were sizing her up, as if looking for any sign of weakness.

"This is the one? She does not seem capable of what we are asking of her." One said as he spoke as if she was not standing no more than a few feet from him.

"She has already proven herself in combat against him."

"But she would have lost if Ruarc did not show up when he did." With those words Meade realized what they were talking about. This meeting was about the boy that she had fought. But, she had been told to forget about that boy, why were they talking to her about it now?

"She is the only one with experience dealing with him. At the moment she is the most well suited to take up this task."

"Number 23, Meade. We have a mission for you; it is unlike anything you have ever taken upon yourself." The man in the middle of the group said, finally acknowledging her.

Meade could only nod her head in on sign of her willingness; despite the fact she had no choice in the matter. In only a matter of minutes after her orders had been give, Meade was lead to the far end of the compound. Her guide remained silent, as if he had been told not to say a word. The two entered a run down, almost dilapidated, stone building. The building was only a single room with no windows, a single hanging candle being the only source of light for the whole room. Stepping towards a corner of the room, the man proceeded to lift open a cellar door. Stepping towards the entrance, Meade quickly noticed the musty, stagnate, air drifting up from the bowels of the entrance. The entrance was more like that of a dungeon then that of a cellar. The cellars entrance lead to a set of stone stair ways that spiralled down in to the darkened depths. Sections for candles had been carved in to the stone wall along the stair way. However, most had gone out do to the dampness of the stone walls and ceiling. Some candles had to be relit in order to proceed, not for Meade's sake but for her guides.

Reaching the bottom of the stair way, a thick wooden door set upon stern iron hinges stood in their path. Unlocking the door with a jagged rusted key, the man pushed the door open with some difficulty. Grasping a candle set by the door, the man stepped in to the room. Following closely, Meade had to strain her eyes in the darkness to make out even the boldest of shapes. The room was pitch black, as if light had never seen the confines of it. Using the candle light to guide himself, the man began to light candles that had been sprawled about the room. As light began to gently fill the room, Meade came to realize she was in fact in a dungeon. Cells lined the walls to the left of her, each bar made of thick iron, more than double that needed to hold a human. Stepping towards the bars, Meade could hear rasping breaths coming from the cell. Peering through the bars, Meade paused as she noticed a small figure lying upon the cold stone floor. The jingle of chains caused her to step back. The sound of chains clashing together only grew loader as the figure rolled lazily to its side.

"Don't get too close, I doubt he is in a pleasant mood." Ruarc said as he stepped through the door way leading to the cells.

"Ruarc?" Meade questioned as she turned to greet the fellow Claymore.

"Your not suppose to be hear, Ruarc." The man stated as he approached the two, after having lit the candles of the room.

"I have only come to bid him farewell, as well as give my replacement some friendly advice." Ruarc replied as he smiled coyly.

"Is this?" Meade began as she glanced towards the cell.

"Yes, it's that child you fought with." Ruarc answered as he stepped towards the cell.

"I'm going to have to report this." The man said as he stepped towards the door.

"Go a head, by the time you have I will already have left, but by all means, if you must, do so at your leisure." The man simply scoffed in rebuttal as he left the room.

"You said replacement . . . am I meant to be your replacement?" Meade asked as she followed Ruarc movements with her eyes.

'That's right, they didn't much like how I was handling things, so they replaced me. I must say I feel a little aggravated with the whole thing, but I can't fight it."

"What am I suppose to be replacing you for?"

"By Teresa and Clare, they didn't tell you anything? Why am I surprised?" Ruarc said with a soft chuckle. "You are going to take over as the guardian of this child, as well as train him now."

"What!? That's crazy! I have no interest in associating with this . . . thing, let alone looking out for him." Meade shouted, causing the child in the cage to rise from his rest.

"You have every right to be mad at him. He nearly killed you and one of your team-mates. You could even be forgiven if you fear him."

'I do not fear him. . . I. . . I just don't want to be bothered with such a thing. He should be dead, anyways! He killed someone, which is an unforgivable crime."

"Normally, I would agree with you, but I managed to convince the old fools that it was merely an unavoidable accident. They have a lot to lose, as well, if they simply killed him." Ruarc said before a hand reached out and grasped his leg. However, the hand was not reaching out in aggression; it was gentle and soft, as if looking for something.

Ruarc glanced towards the child in the cell, whose throat, wrist, and ankles were locked in collars to impede his movements. The child's figure was cloaked in dried blood that had not been washed off from the conflict that had taken place days before. The child's eyes were soft and filled with wonder. The beast that had nearly ended Meade's life was no longer held in his eyes, only the eyes of a lost child remained

"What is he?" Meade asked as she watched the child in confusion.

"I don't know. I have been trying to figure that out myself. He is not like other claymores."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Well, for example, he doesn't bare the scars of becoming a claymore." Meade was taken back by Ruarc's words, causing her to stare at the child in amazement. "The organization treats him like an experiment, but other than that I can't tell you what he is."

"Di. . .did I do . . . something. .bad?" The child spoke, his words sounding unsure and broken as he attempted to get Ruarc's attention.

"No, don't worry about it, I have set everything right. You see this woman, she will be taking my place for a while, treat her well and with respect." Ruarc replied as he crouched to meet the child.

'N . . . no, stay. . . R. . Ru. . .Ruarc. I. . . no leave!" He shouted as a look of panic filled his eyes.

"Its out of my control, I will come back as soon as I can. Don't worry; this woman will take good care of you. . . Won't you Meade?" Meade listened in shock at the child's innocent, but simple words. Meade could only nod her head when Ruarc asked if she would take care of the young child.

"Remember, you're not just going to be his trainer, you are his guardian, which means protecting him, be it from the organization . . . or himself. Don't let me down, number 23." Ruarc said as he began to move towards the door after giving the child a reassuring smile.

"Wait." Meade shouted as she stepped towards Ruarc. " . .. wh. . .what's his name?"

'The organization never gave him one . . . However; I always just called him Glenn." Smiling towards Meade, Ruarc closed the door gently behind him as he left the room, his foot steps the only remnants of his presence.

"Hello . . . Glenn, I'm Meade." Meade said as she turned towards the small child and smiled, only to have the act returned in full.


	7. Final Test

The exchange of swords rang among the forest as Meade stumbled back

The exchange of swords rang among the forest as Meade stumbled back. Lashing out with her claymore, she bellowed forth a threatening battle cry. Avoiding the attack, her opponent leapt and slid across the dirt floor of the forest. Drawing her blade back, Meade flung her self forward, her blade posed to strike. Arching her claymore upwards, Meade's blade recoiled as another claymore met hers in mid-flight. Her blade reflected back, Meade thrust her open hand forward, grasping her assailant by the collar. Yanking him off his feet, she spun on her heel before releasing him. Stumbling, he quickly regained his footing before turning to face his opponent. Countering a blade stroke with his own, the attacker stumbled back before coming to rest against a tree.

"Come now, Glenn, you can surely do better than that." Meade said as she brushed a few strands of hair from her brow.

Taking a moment to catch his breath, Glenn met Meade's eyes with his own, a soft smirk marking his features as he did. Years of neglect had left Glenn with a head of hair reaching nearly his waist and bangs that brushed his chin. Pulling his bangs back with a free hand, Glenn spun his claymore with an assertive gesture.

"Of course I can, I just don't want you to look too bad when I finally defeat you." Glenn said; his tone filled with over confidents and self-assurance.

Glenn's entrance in to his mid teens had come with the sensation of invincibility only those awkward years could bring. And the power granted to him by being a claymore made him almost intolerable. Raising his claymore in an aggressive stance, Glenn thrust himself forward, the tip of his blade spear heading his advance. Easily deflecting the blade in to the earthen ground, Meade pinned the weapon as she placed her metal heel against its shaft.

"Maybe you should cut your hair; I think it's blinding you." Meade recommended before stomping down on the blade, forcing it from Glenn's grasp.

Stumbling back, Glenn raised his fists as he prepared to continue fighting. However, his aggression was put to rest as Meade raised her blade towards Glenn's throat. A seductive smile crossed Meade's lips as she placed her blade against Glenn's shoulder. Her smile held no hidden meaning of affection, it was simply a skill taught to her by her trainers. A skill she found must useful for defusing a man's explosive temperament. Though a blush crossed Glenn's cheeks he knew full well the trick Meade was attempting to use against him.

"Stop that!" Glenn shouted as he stepped back from Meade's blade.

Removing her heel from the stained surface of Glenn's claymore, Meade preceded to kick it towards him. Reclaiming his weapon, Glenn swiftly took hold the end of his hair. Sliding the sharpened blade across the strands of hair each gave in unison as stray strands fell gently to the ground. Tossing the locks of silver hair to the ground, Glenn raised his blade once more as he prepared to continue fighting. Meade, however, was too busy attempting to hold back her amusement to continue fighting; her left hand held to her mouth, Meade attempted to fight back the fits of laughter.

"What!?" Glenn shouted as he lowered his sword.

"You look Ridicules." Meade said as she pointed at his uneven hair.

"You told me to cut it; I just did what you told me to do!" Glenn shouted as his eyes hardened and focused like daggers on Meade.

"I didn't think you would simply cut your hair off right here and now."

"It doesn't matter anyways, let's just begin already!" He shouted before raising his sword once more.

"No, that's enough for today." Meade said as she half listened to Glenn's words. "I'll try and clean up that mess you made."

Glenn could not help but feel his embarrassment grow as he listened to Meade's mocking tone of voice. On second thought, it was rather rash of him and now left him feeling humiliated.

"It's not like it won't grow back." Glenn said, more to himself in a vain attempt to make himself feel better.

Meade ignored the soft mumbles of the boy. She had spent countless hours with him and had never seen him act like he did that night. That night seemed like nothing more than a long forgotten nightmare. Glenn had been almost unable to speak when she first met him. Now he spoke like any other child his age, something she had spent much time working on. Ruarc had been right; they treated Glenn like a test subject, more like a thing then anything else. They treated all claymores like monsters, but unlike all others, they seemed to fear Glenn, even hate him. Their path back to the organization would take them longer then needed. Denied any contact with the other claymores in training, Glenn was treated like a leper, as if he carried a foul disease. However, hiding him from sight was always easier said then done. Many of the young claymores would catch glimpses of Glenn, causing rumours to sprout up. The making and training of male claymores had come to an end, giving Glenn's existence an extra flare of mystery. Meade had never been told why Glenn was denied any contact with other claymores. And she had never asked, it was not her place to question. However, the reason for the end of male claymores had become well known. It was told as a tale of warning, how the males would awaken too quickly do to their perverse nature. The remaining males were treated like outcasts, all eyes staring upon them like they were already they enemy.

As Meade and Glenn made their way in to the stone village they came to a halt as they felt eyes upon them. Glancing up towards a shallow slope, Glenn met the eyes of four claymores in training. They were of a mixed age group, appearing as nothing more than curious on lookers. Glenn could only meet their gazes with confusion before he was jarred back to attention.

"Glenn, pay them no mind." Meade commanded as she began to move once more.

"R . . . right." Glenn replied as he stumbled his first few steps to keep pace. His eyes would fall back to the claymores on the hill top more than once as he was lead away.

Meade and Glenn soon arrived at their destination; an old stone building on the outskirts of town. The door was made of thick wood and barred with a slab of iron. Even with her immense strength, Meade had a difficult time removing the iron barricade. As Meade pushed the door open, Glenn instinctively handed his claymore to her before entering.

"I'll be back shortly." Meade said before sealing the door once more. She could remember how it made her feel the first times she locked the door. It was like nothing more than sealing a wild animal away, but now it felt wrong to treat him in such a way. Sighing heavily, Meade placed her hand softly against the door. Taking both claymores in hand, Meade left the small stone hut, unaware of the figures watching from the rocks.

Light poured in to the small room from a window set in the far wall. The window was barred and cast a multi cross shadow on the floor of the stone hut. The room was furnished to appear more like a room rather then the cells Glenn had grown accustom to. A half melted candle sat on a night stand beside a wooden bed with a white cotton mattress. Sitting upon the bed, Glenn let his body flop down on its soft surface. Staring up at the ceiling a rough carving of a forest canopy met his eyes as he did. As the light from outside brightened, it became clear that the whole room had carvings across the wall, floor, and ceiling. It had taken Glenn years to carve the images, all done with a piece of jagged stone he had gathered from his outings. All the images appeared to be images Glenn had seen during his time in the forest. A fox and a hare had been covered on the floor, forever frozen in a chase for ones life. However, the most skilled and vivid image carved in the room was that of a woman's face. Followed closely with the image of a beast, that appeared as much like that of a werewolf. Each image had come to Glenn in a dream, a dream that lingered with him even after waking.

Rising from his bed, Glenn stared towards the window of his room. Something had moved outside, something was still moving outside. Glenn prepared himself for what could be the beginning of an attack. However, Glenn found his focused mind fall to confusion as young voices rang out.

"Hold me still, I'm almost there!"

"Shut up! I'm trying my best, why can't I be the one on top?"

The two voices rang out, causing Glenn to cock his head and raise an eyebrow. Stepping towards the window, Glenn peered outside only to have a pair of Silver eyes suddenly staring back at him. Lunging back, Glenn nearly fell over his bed in a comedic knee jerk reaction.

"Hi!" The young girl said as she stared at Glenn from the window.

Glenn quickly glanced about himself as if in search for someone else the girl would be greeting. Finally pointing to himself in realization, Glenn watched as the girl rolled her eyes.

"Yes you, who else would I be talking to . . . . Not very swift, are you?"

Glenn felt his cheeks burn as he heard the insult directed at him. " Y. .You shouldn't be here, your're not . . ."

"What's your name?" The girl asked, cutting Glenn off rudely.

"It's not polite to ask for someone's name before giving your own." Glenn said as he glanced towards the door, as if Meade would burst through the door at any moment.

"Oh. . .well in that case, I'm Riful." She said as she flashed a cheerful smile.

"I'm Glenn." He said as he allowed himself a slight bow. Meade had tutored Glenn in the proper edict of greetings among other such things. Glenn had always had trouble grasping such things as civilized behaviour. However, Meade would not leave him be until he had mastered what she sought to teach him.

"What are you doing locked up in here?" Riful asked as the platform she stood on wavered.

"I want to look now, damn it!" An unseen girl shouted

"Stop moving so much! I'm trying to talk to him." Riful shouted as she stomped a foot down, causing a yelp to rise up from the other girl.

". .. ehh . . . this is my room, why shouldn't I be in here?"

"No no, not why are you here, why are you locked up in there?" Riful shouted as she pointed a finger towards the barred door.

"I . . . that's just how. . ." Glenn paused as he thought of the reason why for the first time in his life. "I don't know." Glenn said as he scratched his head.

"You must really be dense if you don't even know why you are locked up here."

"Why should I care what a rude little girl thinks about me?" Glenn shouted as he stepped closer to the window.

"Well at lest I'm not locked in a dirty old room!"

"What does that have to do with anything!?"

"You're just angry because you're caged like a rat!"

"I'm only angry because I have a little brat pestering me!"

"Hey! I'm not a brat!"

"I'm not going to waste time speaking with you anymore, go away." Glenn said as he turned his back to the mischief's girl.

"Hey, that's not fair; I'm not done talking with you yet!"

"Yeah. Well I don't much feel like talking to you anymore."

"Well it's not like you can do anything about it, since you are "locked up"! I can just stand her and talk to you all day if I wanted to."

"I'm not holding you up all day!" the unseen girl shouted.

Riful only rolled her eyes in reply to her companion. "What is wrong with your hair?" Riful asked, causing Glenn's cheeks to turn a deep red.

"What the hell do you want from me? Get out of here already."

"Did you try and cut it yourself? That's not a very good idea, you know?"

"I didn't cut it myself, damn it!" He lied; the whole affair was still fresh and humiliating in his mind.

"You mean. . .you let someone do that to you?" Riful asked, her voice filled with confusion. " . . . . You must really be stupid" She whispered, her voice barely audible.

"Fine, I'm stupid! Are you happy, can you please go now!?" Glenn replied, his tone turning more to begging then demanding.

"Someone is coming, Riful! Let's get out of here!" The voice shouted as Riful began to wave off balance.

"No, no, wait I'm still." Riful shouted before tumbling from view.

Stepping back towards the window, Glenn was barely able to glimpse the two girls as they fled. The familiar sound of the door being unbarred drew Glenn's attention from the sight. Entering the room, Meade was half surprised to find Glenn by the window. The view from the window was nearly nonexistent. A barren landscape peppered with structures constructed from the same stone underfoot.

"Something wrong?" Meade asked as she watched Glenn with curios eyes.

"No. . . Nothing." Glenn replied as he glanced back towards the window.

"That's good." Meade added as she stepped towards the bed. "Come here, lets see if can't fix that mess." She told Glenn as she unsheathed a smooth edged dagger.

Hesitantly doing as he was instructed, Glenn positioned himself in front Meade. Brushing a hand through his crudely cut hair, Meade summed up the damage before perching her self upon the beds edge. Directing Glenn to turn and sit on the floor, Meade began to gently cut locks of hair free from his crown. The blade cut smoothly and with little effort, causing strands of hair to gently drift to the stone floor. Pausing in mid cut, Meade could not help but let her mind drift. Her thoughts fell to a time that felt like more than a life time ago. The image of a simple wooden house filled her mind. A steel stove sat in the corner of the room well a wooden table rested in the center. The table had been well worn with cuts, nicks and stains covering its surface. Sitting at the table a young girl with strands of amber hair smiled joyfully. Her long hair glided over her shoulders and down the back of her light coloured sundress. Standing behind her a woman tended her hair with great care as an expression of delight filled her features. Meade was only broken from her recollection as Glenn turned his head and spoke. His first words drifted past Meade's conscious thought as white noise. However, as he raised his voice and turned his whole body towards her she could not help but pay mind.

"What are you doing?" Glenn half shouted as he rubbed his head where he had been cut.

"Wh . . . what?" Meade asked before noticing the droplets of blood staining the blades edge. "Oh, . . . I'm sorry" Though her apology seemed half hearted, Glenn let the issue drop as Meade continued to tend his hair. Only a short time would pass before Meade would motion for Glenn to rise. Her efforts had proven reasonably effective as she took a moment to inspect her work.

"You should get some rest now. " Meade said as she moved towards the door.

Glenn nodded his head as he slipped his fingers through his hair. The lack of any reflecting surface forced him to attempt to feel the length and style his hair had been cut to.

"It looks fine" Meade said with an unenthusiastic tone as she grasped the doors handle.

"If you say so." Glenn said, sounding unsure of his trainer's words.

"Its just hair, it will grow back." Meade said in a terrible attempt to put Glenn's mind at rest.

Before Glenn could even send a rebuttal Meade's way she slipped out the door and sealed it behind her. Sighing, Glenn dropped his body on to his bed as he prepared his body for rest.

Meade had not even made it more than a few foot falls from the stone cabin before she was confronted. The black cloaked man stood with the setting sun at his back, causing his darkened silhouette to appear sinister and unnatural.

"What is it now?" Meade asked as she halted and met his gaze.

"The council wishes to have a word with you. I was instructed to lead you to them." Meade sighed tiredly as she listened to the handler's message. Being called to the council had become a common occurrence for Meade ever since she had been assigned to Glenn. However, the beckoning of the council on this day would have profound repercussions.

* * *

Glenn rose with the coming of the new day as light poured through the window of his cell. Thoughtless routine would take control of his mind and body upon waking to the new day. As he began to stretch his muscles for the day of a training ahead, Glenn would soon be interrupted as the door was unlatched. The doors hinges whined as the wooden door swung open, revealing a male trainer. Surprised by the trainer's presences, Glenn took a step forward as his brow tightened in to a frown.

"Who are you? Where is Meade?" Glenn asked, his tone sounding almost threatening.

"Number 23 has been reassigned; she will no longer be training you." The trainer stated.

"Number 23? . . . You mean Meade!? Why won't she be training me anymore? I don't believe you, let me see Meade!"

"She has already left this place."

"She would not leave with out saying goodbye, or at lest telling me why!"

"She only does as she is told; she is a tool, just like you. She was told to train you, she never chose that assignment. She always knew she could simply be taken from this assignment at any time, you should have known this as well." Glenn could not help but grit his teeth as he listened to the trainers words. No matter how much he wanted to deny his words, they rang with truth.

"Your real training begins today. Forget about your formal trainer and focus your mind on the training ahead. Prove that training you to this point was not a complete waste of time."

"My mind is focused; I will train and become the strongest claymore the organization has ever known."

"That is what we are all hoping for, but I am not convinced you have any potential at all. You are nothing but a semi tamed beast." Glenn let his eyes harden as he listened to the man, but quickly softened them as he grinned childishly.

"A beast to fight monsters, sounds about right to me."

* * *

Meade paused as she crest the hill side. The view of the stone village brought faded memories to light. Some were pleasant to recall, but most were better left forgotten. Such memories as the time she spent in the stone training halls. The harsh training that would have left a normal human scared and crippled. Memories of the day she was placed through her final test to become a full fledged warrior. She watched many of the girls she had trained with meet their end on that day. After three years of being away from the source of such memories, Meade found her self drawn back. She had spent her time on the road, taking mission after mission, avoiding returning. But, after three years she had to come back, she knew Glenn would soon be under going his own final test. Knowing his fate weight heavy on Meade's mind, would he pass or die like so many others? Finding a smoothed path, Meade began to descend the hill side. Meade had barely reached the bottom of the hill before a figure draped in claymore garments stood in her path. Raising his head to greet Meade, Ruarc smiled a pleasing smile as he raised a hand in a greeting.

"It would seem we had the same inclination, unless you had another reason to visit this dreary place?" Ruarc inquired as Meade stepped to his side.

"I wanted to see this to the end, that's all."

"You spent the last three years avoiding this place, or were you avoiding him?" Meade's face tightened as she attempted to hide her vexation. "A lot has happened in three years, if you don't want to be dismayed, I suggest you leave and forget this day." Meade's expression took on one of shock as she turned to face Ruarc. Confusion and concern filled her eyes as she attempt to read Ruarc's face for a meaning of his words.

"What do you mean by that? . . . What's happened to Glenn?" Meade asked as she took an aggressive step towards him.

"I told you to watch out for him, not leave him to the wolfs. If you stay and lay witness, only blame yourself. "

"I was ordered to leave, the same was done to you, how can you-"

"You are right, we both failed." Ruarc stated as he began towards the outskirts of the stone village. "The test should already be taking place."

As Meade and Ruarc reached a cluster of dilapidated stone buildings, each froze at the sight that met them. Blood stained the streets and walls of buildings, so much spilled that it had even began to flow down hill. Dismembered bodies of young claymores lay scattered about. All had been decapitated, however their heads rested no where's with in sight.

"Wh . .what happened here?" Meade asked as she inspected one of the corpses.

"I would say he passed. . . " Ruarc answered as he ignored the bodies, his sights directed towards the end of the street.

Following Ruarc's eyes, Meade's eyes widened in horror at the sight before her. The claymores heads had been gathered about a cropping of stones, each neatly piled on top of each other in precise order. A young figure sat upon the middle stone, his hands resting on the hilt of his claymore. Blood stained his attire, thick and crimson; it dripped from his fingers and claymore like condensation. His eyes rising to meet Meade and Ruarc it became painfully clear that it was Glenn. His eyes had changed; they no longer belonged to the boy Meade had left three years ago. They were dark and wild; they were the eyes of the beast she had fought so many years ago. Rising to his feet, Glenn stepped towards the two, but instead of raising his blade he let it drop to the ground. His eyes softening, Glenn slowly stepped towards the two people that were the closes thing to parents for him.

"Meade?" Glenn said as he reached towards her, his eyes reflecting surprise and joy.

Gritting her teeth, Meade drew her blade and lashed out at Glenn in a fluid motion. Slashed across the chest, Glenn stumbled back before falling to the ground. Kneeling over top of Glenn, Meade reared her blade back to impale Glenn. As Meade moved to deliver the fatal blow, Ruarc grasped her shoulder and flung her back. Landing against a body, Meade rose to attack Ruarc, but halted when she released how futile that was.

"I told you to only blame yourself, Meade."

"He killed all of them! He didn't just kill them he disfigured and dismembered them! He is just a wild beast!"

"I didn't want to; they told me to . . . they said they were all enemies. They said I had to kill them if I wanted to live. I didn't want to . . . I . . ." Tears began to stream down Glenn's face as he stared in to the sky. His tears did not come from the pain of the cut or from the horror of what he had done; it was only from Meade's anger and disgust in him.

"He did just as we hoped. What good is a group of warriors when one can kill them all in a mere moment." The trainer stated as he approached the three. "This is what we wanted from him, a heartless warrior that kills when told."

"You really are nothing but a beast." Meade muttered, her words filled with venom and disgust.

"Yes he is, isn't he, which is why he will be referred to as Glenn of the beast from now on."


End file.
